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Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa: Salah Scores as Slot’s Reds Show Signs of Life

Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa at Anfield was the latest subject of Post-Match Raw on Anfield Index, with Trev Downey joined by Dave Hendrick and Karl Matchett to reflect on a performance that combined resilience, composure and some clinical finishing. Arne Slot’s side took three points with goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Mohamed Salah, the latter of whom was again a decisive figure in red.

Salah’s Contribution Highlights Attacking Value

Mohamed Salah scored Liverpool’s second goal against Aston Villa, confirming the win and underlining his continuing influence. During the podcast, Dave Hendrick offered his thoughts on Salah’s output in the game: “Mo, for me, not really in the game all that much…but he gets a goal and an assist.”

That concise summary perfectly encapsulates the Egyptian’s importance. Karl Matchett supported the point, noting: “This is what he does, right? This is the level. Goal and assist.”

Despite not dominating the match, Salah produced in decisive moments. Trev Downey observed the same, stating, “If you can do that and you’re not involved that much, you’re world-class.” The numbers backed it up too. According to Dave, “That’s 17 goals and 9 assists in 23 starts.”

Villa’s Lack of Ambition Frustrates Fans

Unai Emery’s Aston Villa side were described as lacking intent and ambition. Dave Hendrick did not hold back in his criticism: “They had no interest in playing football tonight.” He continued, “They turned up here with no ambition other than to not get battered.”

Karl Matchett agreed with that reading, saying Villa had “too much of a fear factor when they came to Anfield.” He pointed out that even when Villa had possession, “there was no risk taken, no cutting edge.”

Downey summarised it sharply, calling the visitors’ approach “an exercise in survival.”

Tactical Assessment and Progress Under Slot

While acknowledging the win, the trio were united in their measured evaluation of the overall performance. Karl Matchett said: “I don’t think I would say optimism… but it’s absolutely cool and right that we sort of take this and celebrate the fact that we have just sat through a victory.”

Still, progress under Arne Slot was evident in parts. Matchett added, “There were some steps forward and you have to take those. We can’t get them all in one go.” Dave Hendrick agreed, admitting that “we didn’t create too many open cut chances,” but welcomed the clean sheet and control shown in the second half.

Photo: IMAGO

There were also discussions around the tactical shape and balance of the midfield. As Dave noted, “I thought Szoboszlai had a really strong game,” adding that the Hungarian “was really important in how we built attacks.”

Post-Match Raw Looks Ahead

The tone of this Raw was one of cautious satisfaction. A 2-0 win, a goal and assist for Mohamed Salah, and small signs of tactical clarity offered hope. As Dave summarised, “We won, and we were the better team. That’s a good start.”

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