by Yomi Ak:
Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to five points after defeating Aston Villa 2-0, with goals from Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah. This victory allowed the Reds to capitalize on Manchester City’s loss to Brighton, which occurred earlier on Saturday.
Although Liverpool’s performance did not quite match the stellar display they showcased during their 4-0 Champions League triumph over Bayer Leverkusen earlier in the week, they still demonstrated strong defensive capabilities. This solid performance marked their sixth clean sheet in 11 league matches and reaffirmed their dominance in the title race.
Aston Villa, facing their fourth consecutive defeat across all competitions, fell to eighth place under the management of Unai Emery, though they remain just a single point behind third-placed Nottingham Forest. The Anfield crowd was energized by the news of City’s loss, prompting a vigorous start from the home team. However, it was Villa who had the earliest opportunities, launching effective counter-attacks.
Ryan Gravenberch made a crucial intervention by blocking a shot from Jacob Ramsey, while Leon Bailey missed a clear chance by heading over the bar when left unmarked. Despite Villa’s reputation for being a threat from set-pieces, it was Liverpool who created the most significant danger from corners in the first half.
The opening goal came from a long clearance by Virgil van Dijk, which caught Villa short in defense. Nunez seized the opportunity, scoring his third goal of the season, while Bailey was fortunate not to be shown a red card for fouling Salah in the process. Liverpool faced a setback when Trent Alexander-Arnold had to leave the pitch due to a muscle injury, which is expected to prevent him from joining the England squad in the coming week for international assignment.
