Liverpool find rhythm again against resilient Aston Villa

Momentum in sport can vanish quicker than a winger on a counter. For Liverpool, four successive Premier League defeats had left the reigning champions glancing nervously over their shoulders, the swagger of spring replaced by autumnal doubt. Yet under the lights at Anfield, with Aston Villa pushing hard and woodwork rattling, Arne Slot’s side rediscovered the precision and patience that powered their 2024-25 title charge.

This 2-0 win might not erase the recent wobble, but it offers reassurance that Liverpool still understand how to manage tense Premier League nights and impose their rhythm when needed.

Historic Salah milestone shifts the narrative

Football occasionally gifts iconic moments wrapped in chaos, and Mohamed Salah’s landmark goal came courtesy of a rare Emiliano Martinez lapse. The Egypt captain reached a towering milestone with his 250th Liverpool finish, joining only Ian Rush and Roger Hunt in that exclusive club. The manner of the strike, at the end of first half added time, felt almost absurd in its simplicity. Martinez’s miskick rolled invitingly to Salah, who dispatched it coolly into an empty net.

The build up had been cagey, with Villa striking the post and bar through Morgan Rogers and Matty Cash respectively, but Salah’s intervention changed the complexion entirely. Liverpool fans roared and Anfield exhaled. Villa, so dangerous on the break, suddenly had to chase, and that made them vulnerable to Liverpool’s rotations and midfield control.

Gravenberch returns with purpose

If the first goal came from opportunism, the second arrived through structure and confidence. Ryan Gravenberch, absent recently with an ankle issue, returned to the starting XI with an urgency and range that suits Slot’s fluid midfield. His strike from 20 yards, helped by a deflection off Pau Torres, sealed the contest after 58 minutes and justified the decision to restore him.

The assist, calmly threaded by Alexis Mac Allister, illustrated why Liverpool’s midfield has drawn praise this season. Intelligent positioning, timing, and the ability to surge when space appears. Villa were stretched, chasing shadows, and the match tilted decisively.

Villa threaten but Anfield responds

Unai Emery’s side arrived with intent and almost left with reward. Two first half hits on the woodwork reminded Liverpool that resilience still matters as much as tactical nuance. Morgan Rogers’ curling effort in the fifth minute set the tone, Cash’s deflected strike tested Giorgi Mamardashvili. Villa came to play, searching for a fifth straight league victory.

But once behind, they never fully regained momentum. Liverpool pressed, strangled transitions, and dictated tempo. The crowd, raucous and insistent, sensed a shift back toward normality.

Victory takes Liverpool up to third, seven points behind Arsenal, but, crucially, pointed in the right direction again.