Liverpool broke its loss streak of four successive Premier League games and six defeats in its last seven games across all competitions with a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday. Arne Slot’s side have now provisionally climbed to third place in the table with 18 points, seven points behind league leaders Arsenal.
The breakthrough came just before halftime when Mohamed Salah capitalised on amistake by Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez, who passed the ball directly into the path of the forward. Salah finished first time, securing his 250th goal for the Reds, joining club legends Ian Rush (346 goals) and Roger Hunt (285 goals) as the only players to reach that milestone for the Merseyside club. Midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, returning from an ankle injury, sealed the points in the 58th minute when his blast from the top of the box deflected off Pau Torres and into the net.
Slot addressed the press, “I think everyone who was here today felt the importance of the game, the players and fans as well,” Slot told the press. “We showed character and won the game.” Captain Van Dijk admitted the negative noise had been difficult to tune out, stating, “We’re not going out on the pitch to lose games...it’s difficult to stay calm, but you have to.”
Villa, whose loss ended a four-game winning streak that included victories over Tottenham and Manchester City, started brightly, hitting the woodwork twice early on through Morgan Rogers and Matty Cash. However, the visitors' commitment to playing out from the back proved costly. Emery added, "We try to play with personality and through our rules and take good positioning... it is part of our process and we are trying to identify how we build."
The chaotic Anfield crowd, which had given Slot their full backing with loud chants throughout the match, erupted at the final whistle. Salah, who equaled Wayne Rooney's record for most Premier League goal involvements for a single club, emphasized the importance of ending the poor run. "It's very important," Salah told the press, "I’m glad we are back on track now, and it’s a big push before some important games."
