This was a stroll on a sunny Sunday afternoon for Liverpool, and as Jurgen Klopp had hoped, his team’s start to the season went from ‘good’ to ‘great’ with this comfortable victory over Aston Villa.
It is now three victories and a draw for Liverpool this term and, stretching back into last season, they are unbeaten in their last 15 Premier League games. Even during this hot and humid afternoon, Klopp’s men didn’t have to break sweat.
On the day that the Liverpool manager was without his captain Virgil van Dijk through suspension, his vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold came to the fore and was the architect of this three-goal triumph. The Liverpudlian had never previously led his boyhood team out at Anfield, and he capped this memorable day with a fine performance.
Alexander-Arnold, again playing as a right-back-cum-playmaker, continuously exploited Villa’s high defensive line with accurate balls over the top and down the inside channels.
He assisted Dominik Szoboszlai’s opening goal and was instrumental in Matty Cash’s own goal but did leave proceedings early after pulling up following a shot. The prognosis will be keenly sought by both Klopp and Gareth Southgate, the England manager.
Salah rounded off the scoring at the end of a week when he had been the subject of a £150m offer from Saudi Arabia which Liverpool rejected. To highlight his significance for the club, this was his 188th goal in 308 appearances, 139th in 222 Premier League matches, his seventh in seven games against Villa and the 150th different game in which he had found the target.
There will be tougher days ahead for Liverpool — and a further offer for from Al-Ittihad may come next week — but Anfield will wait with bated breath to discover if there will be a 151st game in which their Egyptian King scores.
For Villa, this was a reality check after a series of high-scoring, moral-boosting victories. Unai Emery was keen for his players to dust themselves down from their second heavy defeat of the season, but the Spaniard is no fool and will have seen his team fail to compete here.
Story of the game
The visitors were second best throughout against a commanding and tireless Liverpool performance. Both teams arrived high on confidence but that did not last long for Villa as Liverpool raced into an early lead.
Szoboszlai has settled quickly in this Liverpool side on the right side of the midfield and has been eager to impress the home crowd. The Hungary international does have a reputation of scoring from distance and within three minutes he swept home his first goal for the club.
The lackadaisical way in which Villa conceded the corner — Pau Torres dawdling and Salah dispossessing — was symbolic of the visitors’ overall performance. Alexander-Arnold’s corner sailed through a crowded penalty area towards Szoboszlai, who was unmarked outside the box. His first-time drive flew inside Emi Martinez’s left-hand post.
It was an early goal to settle any Liverpool nerves while Villa suffered another early setback when Diego Carlos hobbled off injured after going down and requiring lengthy treatment in his own area. Emery switched to a back four, sending on Leon Bailey and returning Cash to right-back, but it made little difference.
By the 22nd minute Villa were two down. Alexander-Arnold, already having success with lovely crafted passes upfield, released Salah with a floated ball over the top and the Egyptian touched the pass inside to Darwin Nunez, given his first start of the season after his heroics at St James’ Park.
Nunez ran through and cannoned a shot against the post from close range. The rebound flew straight at Cash, who had been chasing back to his goal, and the ball smacked off his shins and into the net. The full-back has rediscovered a penchant for scoring in recent weeks, but this was an unwanted goal against his name.
Alexander-Arnold should have had another assist when he opted to cross a free-kick rather than shoot only for Joel Matip to send his free header woefully wide.
Villa played in bursts and did get in amongst the Liverpool defence, also lacking the injured Ibrahima Konate, with John McGinn and Bailey missing their best chances by blazing over and scuffing an effort before the break.
Alisson was also required to parry away Cash’s close-range header early in the second half but Liverpool quickly countered down the right and Nunez bundled wide from a Salah cross. Nunez had earlier smashed a shot against the crossbar after the offside Salah cleverly left Alexander-Arnold’s ball.
However, Salah was not to be denied. Ten minutes into the new half, Nunez flicked an Andy Robertson corner to the back post where Salah sprinted in ahead of Luacs Digne to convert from close range. It was three and easy for Liverpool — and Klopp celebrated victory in his 300th league game in front of the Kop.
Player of the match: Trent Alexander-Arnold
Liverpool’s new vice-captain was given the full honours in Van Dijk’s absence and certainly led the way with a display containing plenty of eye-catching moments. His balls from deep were a continuous threat and Villa were no doubt thankful when he exited before the end.
