Liverpool ended their winless streak in the Premier League with a 2-0 win over Aston Villa, Mohammed Salah marked his 250th goal for the merseysiders.
September 20th was the last time Liverpool won in the league, beating local rivals Everton 2-1. The run stretched four games and was deemed a crisis by former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher.
Late goals were the trend for Liverpool with four late winners at the beginning of their title defending campaign. This would shift the opposite way in their next three games with Arne Slot’s side giving up late concessions against Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Manchester United before being bested by former Ireland international Keith Andrews’ Brentford.
Aston Villa came into the match in good form with Unai Emery’s team winning their last four Premier League outings. Including notable victories against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.
The Villains would start on the front foot with last season’s Players Football Association (PFA) Young Player of the Year winner Morgan Rogers striking the post from outside the box. Matty Cash would then come close for Villa with a speculative shot expertly saved by Giorgi Mamardashvili.
This close scare for Liverpool would inject urgency into their game and before halftime Hugo Ekitike would head home a cross from Dominik Szoboszlai, VAR however would intervene disallowing the goal for offside.
On the resulting play, Villa Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez would make a crucial mistake allowing Mohamed Salah to create history, tapping in his 250th goal for Liverpool.
Thirteen minutes into the second half, Liverpool would get their second goal of the evening from a fine burst through midfield from the returning Ryan Gravenberch whose shot from outside the box took a deflection from Pau Torres to wrong foot Martínez.
Game management was now the agenda for Slot’s men who saw the rest of the second half out comfortably keeping the Birmingham side at arms length to end their wretched form in the league and cut the gap to first to seven points ahead of an important heavyweight showdown next weekend with Manchester City.
