Manchester Metropolis are faltering, Liverpool are flawless. The Premier League leaders took full benefit of the reigning champions’ defeat at Brighton to increase their lead on the high to 5 factors with a assured, medical defeat of Aston Villa. It was Liverpool’s fifteenth victory in 17 matches below Arne Slot they usually head into the worldwide break with momentum, perception and kind on their facet.
A primary-half strike from Darwin Núñez and a late end from Mohamed Salah secured victory over Unai Emery’s cussed facet, who lacked the standard within the closing third to noticeably hassle Liverpool. Liverpool have bettered their tally of 28 factors from the opening 11 video games solely as soon as within the final 34 seasons, in 2019-20, once they went on to win the Premier League.
An unexpected advantage of the 8pm kick-off, definitely from Liverpool’s perspective, was the time it allowed to digest Metropolis’s newest defeat. The sense of anticipation inside Anfield elevated earlier than kick-off at the potential of opening up a five-point lead over the champions. Liverpool’s gamers sensed it too, and commenced with the depth that Slot had felt was missing from the beginning towards each Brighton and Bayer Leverkusen.
Villa contributed to an open, entertaining first half as they seemed to get better from three successive defeats in all competitions. The guests tried to stall Liverpool’s momentum by taking an age over each aim kick however then performed their method confidently across the press and broke dangerously. Leon Bailey headed over when discovered unmarked by Youri Tielemans’ cross whereas Ryan Gravenberch made an vital block to disclaim Jacob Ramsey’s goal-bound drive from the sting of the realm.
Liverpool’s vibrant show had not created any clear alternatives to check Emiliano Martínez within the Villa aim once they produced a devastating counterattack to open the scoring in model. The break stemmed from a Villa nook and owed all the pieces to the imaginative and prescient of Virgil van Dijk, who launched Salah behind an uncovered defence with an outstanding via ball.
Salah was despatched sprawling by Bailey, who might effectively have been in deep trouble had referee David Coote halted play instantly. The referee allowed play to proceed, nevertheless, and Núñez pounced on the unfastened ball, rounded Martínez and clipped a medical end into the Kop aim from a decent angle.
Coote was additionally dismissive of a Villa penalty enchantment when Ollie Watkins went down within the field following a problem by Ibrahima Konaté. Trent Alexander-Arnold pulled up with what appeared an harm to his hamstring moments later and had to get replaced by Conor Bradley. A withdrawal from the England squad for subsequent week’s Nations League video games towards Greece and the Republic of Eire appears prone to observe.
Núñez ought to have had a second when Liverpool broke in numbers from one other Villa nook. Bradley’s clearance enabled Salah to ship the Uruguay worldwide scampering down the left however, as soon as in vary of Martínez’s aim, the striker blazed over.
Not each Villa nook was a hazard to themselves, nevertheless, and it wanted two high-quality saves in fast succession from Caoimhín Kelleher to forestall the guests stepping into degree on the break. Alisson’s reliable deputy produced a flying cease to tip over Amadou Onana’s glancing header from a Lucas Digne supply.
From the ensuing nook, once more taken by Digne, Diego Carlos linked on the close to put up and the Liverpool goalkeeper made an outstanding response save at shut vary. Watkins was unable to transform the rebound.
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Villa additionally had a good chance to degree moments after the restart when Konaté didn’t cope with Digne’s lengthy ball and Morgan Rogers escaped inside the realm. The ahead miscued his shot effectively extensive of Kelleher’s left-hand put up. Liverpool survived a VAR evaluation for a potential penalty when Bradley pulled Pau Torres as they competed for a Digne free-kick.
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Emery raged on the refusal to penalise the Liverpool substitute. His temper was not helped thereafter by Villa squandering a number of promising counterattacks with a poor closing ball or contact. His well-organised staff did handle to comprise Liverpool for many of the second half however remained extraordinarily susceptible to the counter-attack. It wanted an outstanding intervention by Ezri Konsa to forestall Salah placing Luis Díaz via on aim when the hosts broke from one more Villa nook.
With six minutes of regular time remaining, and Torres interesting for a non-existent foul by Gravenberch contained in the Liverpool penalty space, the guests have been undone as soon as once more. Carlos tried to clear a protracted ball on the midway line however succeeded solely in heading towards Salah, who promptly left the defender trailing as they pursued the rebound into the Villa half. The Egypt worldwide had choices to his left however took probably the most inviting, and beat Martinez with a blistering end to seal victory and Liverpool’s commanding lead on the Premier League summit.
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