9 November 2024
Liverpool 2 Aston Villa 0
Liverpool welcomed Aston Villa to Anfield, knowing that after their rivals defeat, they could extend their lead at the top of the table. Unai Emery’s side were looking to stop the rot after losing their three previous matches. It was a packed-house for this Saturday evening game with most of the world watching. This was billed as another test of The Reds’ title credentials.
As an early Villa corner was cleared by the hosts, they broke with real pace. Salah ran clear of everyone, then went to ground under pressure from Bailey. The referee was not interested in awarding a foul, as the ball ran into the path of Nunez. He took it around Martinez and slotted home from a tight angle. Anfield erupted.
While Slot’s side had opened the scoring, it was a concern what had happened in the build-up. If a professional referee does not think that Salah was fouled by Bailey, that is mind-bending. It should have resulted in a red card for the Aston Villa man. There has to be a point in the modern game where we decide we have had enough of the incompetency. It is ruining Premier League football.
Watkins then got away down the left and cut inside to the box. As he looked to take the ball around Konate, he went to ground looking for a penalty. The referee was not interested and the replay showed it was simply two players going shoulder to shoulder. On this occasion the strength of the young Frenchman was too much for the England striker.
Alexander-Arnold was then forced off with a hamstring injury, meaning Bradley was to come on and deputise. Bailey started to cause some problems for the defence before forcing a corner. Liverpool fans could be forgiven for thinking that the Jamaican winger should be sat in the changing rooms right about now after dodging an obvious red card moments earlier.
As the corner was cleared, The Reds broke again and looked certain to score. Salah threaded it through to Nunez, who had nothing but space in front of him. As Martinez tried to close him down, the Uruguayan looked to bend one in the top corner. He got it all wrong as the ball sailed well wide of the target. Classic Nunez, his finishing is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.
The visitors forced another corner and Onana did well to get up and head it. Kelleher reacted well to turn it over the bar. From the resulting set piece, Carlos directed a header towards goal with the Irish keeper doing brilliantly to claw it off the line. With Alisson out injured, he was proving that he is a more than competent back-up for the Brazilian.
No sooner than the second-half had started, Villa had another chance. On this occasion Rogers tried to bend one in the far corner and sliced it well wide of the goal. Liverpool could not afford to keep allowing the visitors all these chances or it was inevitable that Emery’s side would be level sooner or later. The fans felt like they needed the cushion of a second goal.
Diaz then did well to win the ball and lay it into the path of Robertson out wide. He picked out Nunez in the box but his header narrowly missed the target. He really should have scored, had he got his effort on target, there was no danger Martinez was getting anywhere near it. This game was balanced on a knife’s edge still.
Emery’s side felt they should have had a penalty when Bradley was pulling at Torres in the box. The referee did not see it that way and despite a VAR review taking a little time, the incident was cleared. The hosts went straight down the other end with Van Dijk doing well to win the ball out wide. It was worked into Nunez, who dropped his shoulder and shot but Martinez made a comfortable save.
Liverpool seemed a little out of sorts with their finishing. Gakpo cut in from the left and checked onto his right foot. He only had one thing on his mind as he tried to bend one in the top corner but it sailed into the crowd. On another day, The Reds would have put Aston Villa to the sword. As it stood, the visitors were still in this game.
As Aston Villa launched a long throw into the box. Once again Torres went to ground looking for a penalty. The visitors tried to recycle it but Salah headed clear. The ball broke into the path of the Liverpool winger, who was clean through on goal. He had some ground to cover, picking it up just over the halfway line.
The Egyptian King showed his calmness under pressure. His close control is second to none, as he dribbled it towards Martinez’s goal. He waited until the right moment and drilled the ball past the Aston Villa keeper to put this game to bed. Anfield erupted into a wall of noise as the result was now guaranteed. Slot’s side were going to extend their lead at the top.
It has been a tough couple of weeks for Aston Villa and they have now lost their last four games. It will be a test of their metal to bounce back from this and rediscover their form. Meanwhile for The Reds, as we head into another international break, the Arne Slot era has made the perfect start and the fans are starting to dream of silverware once again.
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