Liverpool carved out a five-point hole on the prime of the Premier League desk after beating Aston Villa 2-0 at Anfield.
The Reds had been good worth for his or her win, typically hitting the Villans on the counter-attack.
And Darwin Nunez was the person to attain the primary aim, with Mohamed Salah including a second.
After Virgil van Dijk launched Salah down the right-hand facet, the Egyptian was pulled down by Leon Bailey.
However the referee performed benefit and the ball fell to Nunez.
The Uruguay ahead took it round South American rival Emiliano Martinez and fired house, wheeling off to have fun.
A lot of the sport was scrappy, with neither facet carving out any actual probabilities.
However in the long run, the hosts obtained the win they had been searching for after Salah bore down and aim and slotted previous Martinez for a second.
GET IN THERE!!! ✊🔴 #LIVAVL pic.twitter.com/H0v0CbwRRG
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 9, 2024
The way it occurred
From the outset, Liverpool appeared desirous to impose themselves on the sport, urgent excessive and controlling the tempo.
After a quiet opening interval, it was a speedy counter-attack that put the hosts forward within the twentieth minute.
Aston Villa, urgent for a gap of their very own, dedicated numbers ahead for a nook, just for Liverpool to punish them in a flash.
Salah, pivotal all through the match, took cost on the break, dashing down the suitable flank earlier than getting bundled over by Villa’s Bailey.
Nevertheless, the ball rolled kindly to Nunez, who coolly transformed from a decent angle, sending Anfield into raptures.
Villa managed to carve out a couple of half-chances, however Liverpool’s defence stood agency, and when Villa’s attackers discovered openings, goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher was greater than equal to the duty.
A standout second got here when Kelleher made a double save, first tipping Amadou Onana’s header over the bar after which denying Diego Carlos on the follow-up, preserving Liverpool’s lead earlier than half-time.
Particular. pic.twitter.com/xmkH5yGOow
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 9, 2024
Villa did have one second of controversy simply earlier than the hour mark, as VAR reviewed a possible penalty after Villa’s Pau Torres gave the impression to be fouled by Liverpool’s Conor Bradley.
The overview, nevertheless, dominated in Liverpool’s favour, and Villa’s probability to stage from the spot was denied.
The Reds continued to dictate the second half, asserting their dominance with measured passing and affected person build-up play.
Villa struggled to regain momentum, particularly after Liverpool introduced on substitutes to clean up the midfield and backline, with Alexis Mac Allister making manner for Wataru Endo and Curtis Jones changed by Dominik Szoboszlai.
As Villa searched desperately for an equaliser, it was Liverpool who struck once more, this time capitalizing on one other error from the guests.
Within the 84th minute, Villa defender Diego Carlos’s misjudged header fell on to Salah, who wasted no time racing into the field and firing previous Emiliano Martinez with a assured end.
It was Salah’s eighth league aim of the season, and all of it however sealed the victory for the Reds.
