Liverpool move five points clear after Núñez and Salah sink Aston Villa

Any slip-up, whether 270 miles away in Brighton or inside the comfort of Anfield, and Mohamed Salah will pounce. The Liverpool forward ensured Arne Slot’s team took full advantage of Manchester City’s latest defeat, plus Aston Villa’s vulnerability to a counterattack, to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League. Early days, yes, but a five-point advantage, 15 wins in 17 matches under a new head coach and Salah’s sustained excellence have fuelled Liverpool’s belief.

Salah was instrumental in Darwin Núñez’s breakthrough against Unai Emery’s team and sealed victory late on as Liverpool headed into the international break with momentum and confidence soaring. It was his 10th assist and 10th goal of the season in all competitions. The Egypt international’s long-term Liverpool future may be in doubt, with his contract due to expire at the end of the season, but not the decisive influence he continues to exert at the age of 32.

Villa performed strongly and had two decent penalty appeals dismissed. But they lacked Liverpool’s quality and precision in the final third. The visitors were frequently exposed on the break too, several times following their own corners, and a team of Liverpool’s calibre requires no invitation. “It was definitely a big week,” said Slot. “But every week is big when you are playing lots of strong opponents. Hopefully we will have a lot of these weeks to come. We are trying to compete for the league, for the Champions League and for the cups. We know it is a long season as well and that we have to be on top of our game because Arsenal, Chelsea and City are all capable of winning as many games as we did.”

An unforeseen benefit of the 8pm kick-off, certainly from Liverpool’s perspective, was the time it allowed to digest City’s latest defeat. The sense of anticipation inside Anfield increased before kick-off. Liverpool’s players sensed it too, and began with the intensity that Slot had felt was lacking from the start against both Brighton and Bayer Leverkusen. They led courtesy of a devastating counterattack from a Villa corner. Virgil van Dijk released Salah behind an exposed defence with a superb through-ball. The striker was sent sprawling by Leon Bailey, who may have been in serious trouble had the referee David Coote halted play immediately. He allowed play to continue, however, and Núñez pounced on the loose ball, rounded Emiliano Martínez and clipped a clinical finish into the Kop End goal from a tight angle.

Coote was also dismissive of a Villa penalty appeal when Ollie Watkins went down in the box following a challenge by Ibrahima Konaté. Trent Alexander-Arnold pulled up with what seemed a hamstring injury moments later and had to be replaced by Conor Bradley. “I would be surprised to see him play for the national team this week,” said Slot, though he did not know the extent of Alexander-Arnold’s injury.

Núñez should have had a second when Liverpool broke in numbers from another Villa corner. Bradley’s clearance enabled Salah to send the Uruguay international scampering down the left but, once in range of Martínez’s goal, Núñez blazed over. Not every Villa corner was a danger to themselves and it needed two excellent saves in quick succession from Caoimhin Kelleher to prevent Amadou Onana and Diego Carlos heading in Lucas Digne deliveries.

Villa also had an excellent chance to level moments after the restart when Morgan Rogers broke into the area but miscued his shot badly wide. Liverpool survived a review by the video assistant referee for a possible penalty when Bradley pulled Pau Torres as they competed for a Digne free-kick. “In Europe that is a penalty,” Emery said. “I respect the decision of the referees, but it was a clear penalty.”

With six minutes of normal time remaining, and Torres appealing for a nonexistent foul by Ryan Gravenberch inside the Liverpool area, the visitors were undone on the break yet again. Carlos attempted to clear a long ball on the halfway line but succeeded only in heading against Salah, who left the defender trailing as they pursued the rebound into the Villa half. The Egypt international had options to his left but beat Martínez with a blistering finish to seal victory and Liverpool’s commanding lead at the top.