Liverpool maintained their superb run of form at the beginning of Arne Slot’s tenure as they beat Aston Villa 2-0 at Anfield. It was a commanding performance from the Reds, despite losing key man Trent Alexander-Arnold through injury in the first half.
Slot’s men have now extended their lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League to five points.
It was complete domination from the hosts, who had more of the ball and more shots than the Villans, as one might expect at Anfield. As per Sofascore, Slot’s side had 63% possession and 14 shots, with five of them finding the target. Comparatively, Villa managed 12 shots with just two of them on target.
The three points were secured thanks to goals from Darwin Nunez and the irresistible Mohamed Salah. The Uruguayan striker slotted home a good finish from a tough angle, with Liverpool’s star man Salah scoring late on to seal the points.
It was never a game Villa were in, and they had few chances despite some periods of pressure. Overall, it was a comfortable win for the home side, with some standout performers. Nunez and Salah were two of the players who starred at Anfield.
Salah and Nunez’s stats vs. Villa
Liverpool’s number nine can be hit-and-miss. He fired a shot over the bar in the first half and headed wide when he was unmarked in the second. However, he took his goal superbly, pouncing on a loose ball from a counter-attack and riffling the ball home from a narrow angle.
He received an impressive 8/10 post-match rating from GOAL journalist Richard Mills, who was full of praise for the Uruguayan striker. He explained that the striker scored in ‘expert fashion’, praising him for the fact he ‘worked so hard for his team’, as he always does.
Salah, as ever, was a joy to watch. He was deadly in transition, with plenty of gaps in the Villa rest defence, something that was almost non-existent at times. His goal came in this fashion, intercepting a poor header from a Villa defender and driving into the penalty box, slotting home coolly to seal the win.
His stats from the game were marvellous, having 50 touches in total. The winger played two key passes and created two big chances, of course getting a goal and registering an assist for Nunez. It was vintage Salah.
However, as good as the pair were, they were arguably outshone by one of their teammates, Virgil van Dijk.
Van Dijk’s stats vs. Villa
James Pierce, Liverpool journalist for The Athletic, described Liverpool’s captain as “imperious” against Villa, and it is hard to disagree. It was yet another commanding performance from Van Dijk, as he helped his side to all three points.
It was his pass that set Liverpool away for Nunez’s opener, a fantastic through ball to Salah which ultimately led to the Reds’ first goal of the night. Aside from that, he was his usual colossal self at centre-back.
The Dutchman’s stats from the game make for impressive reading. He had an extraordinary 122 touches, completing 109 from 113 passes, a 96% pass accuracy. Van Dijk won three from five ground duels and made two clearances. It was an excellent night’s work.
Stat
Number
Touches
122
Passes completed
109/113
Pass accuracy
96%
Ground duels won
3/5
Clearances
2
Aerial duels won
1/2
Long balls completed
3
That opinion was certainly shared by Mills, who gave Van Dijk a 9/10 rating for his efforts. The journalist praised Liverpool’s skipper for his ‘superb pass’ in the lead-up to Nunez’s goal, describing him as a ‘powerhouse’ for Slot’s side.
It has been the dream start for Liverpool in the new era. They will be hoping this superb run of form under Slot can continue, as they look to compete on all fronts across competitions this season.
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