Salah’s Landmark Goal Inspires Liverpool’s Return to Form Against Aston Villa

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Liverpool returned to winning ways at Anfield with a 2–0 victory over Aston Villa, ending a run of four consecutive Premier League defeats and offering manager Arne Slot a much-needed lift ahead of a gruelling run of fixtures. The night belonged to Mohamed Salah, who scored his 250th goal for the club, joining Ian Rush and Roger Hunt as only the third player in Liverpool’s history to reach the milestone.

The opening stages were lively, with Villa threatening first and twice striking the woodwork. Morgan Rogers came closest in the fifth minute, cutting inside from the left before curling a shot against the post, while Matty Cash saw his deflected effort pushed on to the bar by Giorgi Mamardashvili. Liverpool, with several key players returning after a rotated cup side lost to Crystal Palace, gradually found control, and they were rewarded just before half-time when Emiliano Martínez’s misplaced clearance handed Salah an open goal. The Egyptian made no mistake, steering the ball low into the unguarded net to give Liverpool a crucial lead in first-half stoppage time.

Ryan Gravenberch, back from injury and one of Liverpool’s brighter midfield performers, doubled the advantage in the 58th minute. His 20-yard strike took a deflection off Pau Torres, wrong-footing Martínez and securing the points for the hosts. Villa, who had arrived at Anfield chasing a fifth straight league win, never rediscovered their rhythm after the break and were limited to only three shots on target across the match. Their earlier energy faded as Liverpool tightened their shape and defended with more confidence than in recent weeks.

The match statistics reflected Liverpool’s control. They edged possession with 53.4 per cent, completed 467 passes at an accuracy of 87.4 per cent, and recorded 16 shots to Villa’s 10. While the visitors actually had one more touch inside the opposition box, Liverpool’s efficiency told — their expected goals measured 1.09 compared to Villa’s 0.31. The Reds also won more aerial duels, 10 to 6, and were sharper in the tackle, succeeding in 66.7 per cent of challenges.

There was further encouragement in the defensive numbers. Liverpool recorded their first clean sheet in the league since 14 September, restricting Villa’s creativity and limiting their attack largely to long-range efforts. Mamardashvili made three saves in total, but he was rarely troubled after the early exchanges.

The Anfield crowd responded throughout with loud backing for Slot, whose team selection — reinstating Van Dijk, Konaté, Szoboszlai, Gakpo and Salah — brought both balance and authority. The Kop’s chants of “Arne Slot” grew louder after Gravenberch’s second goal and continued into full time, followed by a chorus of “champions” as Liverpool climbed to third in the table. They remain seven points behind leaders Arsenal, but this was a performance that restored belief.

Villa, meanwhile, will reflect on what might have been after their early chances and moments of misfortune. They hit the frame of the goal twice and saw both their own clearances lead directly to Liverpool’s goals. Emery’s side shaded the running distance — covering 107.66 kilometres to Liverpool’s 106.65 — but lacked precision in key areas and finished with only four corners to show for their possession. For Liverpool, it was not a perfect performance, but after six defeats in seven games in all competitions, it was a vital one: measured, professional, and deserved.