Mohamed Salah starred as Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to five points, securing a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at Anfield.
Salah contributed with both a goal and an assist, helping Liverpool capitalize on Manchester City’s earlier defeat to Brighton.
The win, just before the season’s final international break, puts Liverpool firmly in the driving seat.
Arne Slot made two strategic changes to his starting lineup from the previous match, a dominant win over Bayer Leverkusen.
This time, Andy Robertson and Darwin Nunez were drafted into the team, adding fresh energy to the Reds’ ranks.
Liverpool began the game attacking the iconic Kop end, and it didn’t take long to break through Villa’s defenses. In the 20th minute, Nunez expertly converted a chance from a tight angle after a swift counter-attack, sparking loud cheers from the home crowd.
The chance was created after Liverpool had defended a Villa corner at the opposite end, with Salah getting involved in the build-up.
Salah appeared to be brought down by Leon Bailey, who was the last Villa player in the line, yet referee David Coote waved off any claims for a foul. Nunez wasted no time capitalizing, slotting the ball home expertly.
The incident left many wondering about Coote’s decision, as he didn’t even signal “play on” but simply dismissed the challenge. Had Nunez missed, the outcome might have sparked more intense debate about officiating.
Liverpool nearly doubled their lead just ten minutes later. Salah set Nunez up beautifully with an incisive pass, but this time the Uruguayan forward couldn’t find the target, misfiring from the edge of the box.
It was a chance that epitomized Nunez’s unpredictability—able to finish brilliantly one moment, and wildly off-target the next.
Villa, meanwhile, struggled to pose a consistent threat in Liverpool’s defensive third.
The few chances they managed to create were neutralized by Liverpool’s backup keeper, Caoimhin Kelleher, whose two impressive saves kept the scoreline intact before halftime.
Just before the interval, Liverpool orchestrated another flowing attack, with intricate team passing nearly resulting in a second goal.
However, the Reds would head into the break holding only a single-goal advantage.
The second half began with Aston Villa showing more intent, creating an early opportunity that raised some concerns for Liverpool’s defense.
Nunez had another chance to extend the lead soon after, but his header from Robertson’s cross sailed over the bar. In response, Slot decided to make substitutions around the hour mark, bringing on Cody Gakpo for Nunez and introducing Dominik Szoboszlai in place of Curtis Jones to freshen up the attack.
Gakpo, too, came close to scoring but fired over the bar from the edge of the box. He later narrowly missed a well-placed cross from Szoboszlai, as Liverpool continued pressing for a second goal to secure the win.
The breakthrough came just minutes from full time. Salah, racing downfield with two teammates flanking him, chose to go it alone, finishing with precision and composure to seal the game.
It was a spectacular solo effort and a fitting way to tally his 10th goal of the season, perfectly matching his 10 assists, and all this by early November.
“Liverpool, Liverpool, top of the league!” echoed around Anfield as fans celebrated a commanding league lead.
Liverpool will next host Manchester City at home in what promises to be a high-stakes showdown for Premier League dominance.
