Liverpool went five points clear at the top of the Premier League when Darwin Nunez completed the perfect Saturday night breakaway – from an Aston Villa corner.
Arne Slot’s side really did resemble the red arrows when Villa sent their defenders up for a set-piece and were counter-attacked in devastating style with Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah setting up Nunez after 20 minutes, the Uruguayan giving out some family news by shoving a ball up his shirt in celebration.
Remarkably, Nunez almost scored with a carbon copy from Villa’s next corner before Mo Salah sealed the deal with a late second, beating Diego Carlos in another quick Liverpool transition before firing home.
Liverpool received a boost before kick-off when Manchester City’s late collapse at Brighton earlier in the evening meant Arne Slot’s side walked out at Anfield still Premier League leaders.
The Dutchman had won 14 of 16 games in charge and recalled Darwin Nunez and Andy Robertson from the side that had hammered Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday night.
Darwin Nunez scored his third goal of the season after a blistering counter-attack
Mohamed Salah stole the show with a goal and assist as Liverpool went five points clear of Manchester City
A crackling night-time atmosphere greeted both teams and the volume scarcely dropped through an absorbing encounter in which Aston Villa were also an improvement on the leggy side beaten at Spurs and Bruges in the past week.
Nunez’s appeal for a penalty in the opening minute after a shove by Diego Carlos was accompanied by a roar from The Kop but fell on deaf ears as far as referee David Coote was concerned.
The ear-splitting boos whenever Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez was on the ball added to the pantomime, particularly if he was considered to be taking his time.
Villa showed they’d also come to play when Jacob Ramsey cut inside Trent Alexander-Arnold before being blocked by Ryan Gravenberch and Leon Bailey couldn’t keep his header down from a centre by Youri Tielemans.
Perhaps Villa’s ambition got away with them because it was from their corner that Liverpool broke to score after 20 minutes.
Jacob Ramsey inadvertently directed the ball to Virgil van Dijk who quickly fed Mo Salah who led the charge over the halfway line.
Referee David Coote didn’t whistle when Bailey practically rugby-tackled the Egyptian to bring him down and when the loose ball ran to Nunez, he swerved round Martinez before firing into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
The South American celebrated his third goal of the season – but first in five matches – with a thumb-sucking celebration as the stadium erupted.
Remarkably, history almost repeated itself from Villa’s next corner. Salah again broke quickly and released Nunez. This time the Uruguayan had more time to think about his finish and skied it.
By then, Trent Alexander-Arnold had limped down the tunnel holding his hamstring, replaced by Conor Bradley.
But the momentum continued to swing in the home side’s favour with Nunez narrowly failing to connect with Salah’s dinked cross as he attempted a header.
Approaching half-time, Villa showed their own Champions League pedigree and Liverpool’s goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher was suddenly twice called into action.
The Irishman made a brilliant tip-over from Amadou Onana and from the resulting corner denied Diego Carlos at point-blank range when the central defender had flicked a header goalwards at the near post.
Liverpool had seen City squander a half-time lead at Brighton so there shouldn’t have been any complacency in Slot’s half-time team talk.
Indeed, the first big chance of the second period fell to Nunez who was unable to direct his header on target.
Only Joe Fagan and Kenny Dalglish of the modern Liverpool managers have won the league title in their first season in charge.
Slot won’t be making any rash predictions about following them but even he couldn’t have expected such a smooth transition as the chosen one to succeed Jurgen Klopp.
Rather than shutting up shop, Liverpool seemed intent on grabbing a second goal. Certainly, it was a positive double-change midway through the second half when Slot sent on Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai, even though Nunez made way.
Villa’s own changes included super-sub Jhon Duran replacing Ollie Watkins who’d worked hard but found van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate two immovable objects.
The normally unflappable Emery was trying to create some momentum on the touchline by showing his displeasure when nothing was given after a VAR check for a possible tug by Bradley on Pau Torres in the box.
Emery had defeated Klopp’s Liverpool to win the Europa League with Sevilla in 2016 but hadn’t tasted success against the Merseysiders since. Villa’s last victory as a club at Anfield was back in 2014 when Mario Balotelli led the line for The Reds.
Any hope of a repeat expired after 85 minutes when Salah led another quick counter. Carlos came across to try and cover but headed against the Egyptian who sped away and beat Martinez at his near post for his 10th goal of the campaign.
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