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Arne Slot's tactical masterstroke pays off as Liverpool end nightmare form
Liverpool ended their horror run of five consecutive domestic defeats as Arne Slot's side beat Aston Villa 2-0 at Anfield to revive their stuttering season
Liverpool put an end to their wretched Premier League form with a 2-0 win against Aston Villa at Anfield.
Goals from Mohamed Salah and Ryan Gravenberch saw Arne Slot's side win their first domestic game in six attempts, having lost their previous five. A night that needed something from the Reds to ease the pressure on the Dutchman and bring a smile back to the faces of their fans was duly replicated.
But Liverpool had no time to settle in the game with the visitors coming out the blocks the stronger, and they went a whisker away from taking the lead after just five minutes when Morgan Rogers smashed the post with a whipped effort from outside the goal.
Villa’s attacking prowess continued as they looked to take advantage of a fractured Liverpool backline who have been majorly caught out in recent weeks.
Giorgi Mamardashvili was forced into two strong saves in the opening 20 minutes, first from a deflected Matt Cash cross, tipping his effort onto the bar, before he kept out another shot from distance by Rogers.
The Reds had to bide their time for their clean-cut opening and it came minutes later when Dominik Szoboszlai pinched the ball off the Villa backline, but his effort one-on-one with Emi Martinez was weak and easily saved by the Argentine.
Slot set his side up to press Villa high with the visitors happy to take a risk vs reward approach to playing out from the back. The Dutchman’s decision to start Szoboszlai over Florian Wirtz in the No.10 position goes some way to telegraphing Liverpool’s set-up, with the Hungarian much more versed in pressing in this system than the struggling German.
Slot also, finally, decided to hook Milos Kerkez from the starting line-up, giving Andy Robertson an overdue start in the league, and the left-back picked up some bizarre positions when Liverpool were in possession, joining Hugo Ekitike up front as a left striker on a number of occasions.
Slot’s tactical tweak in a bid to change Liverpool’s fortunes appeared to work as Hugo Ekitike headed the Reds ahead shortly before half-time; however, VAR had to intervene to wipe off the incredibly clear and obvious offside, with almost the entirety of Ekitike’s body in an offside position.
But the goal did come minutes later, thanks to an absolute howler from Martinez as the Villa keeper laid on the best assist Mohamed Salah has ever received, misplacing his pass to Pau Torres straight to the feet of the Egyptian, who had an open goal to pass into and score his 250th goal for the club.
That risk approach from Unai Emery was as naïve as it comes at Anfield. Liverpool have been in wretched form and any chance to raise the atmosphere at Anfield looked set to be hard work tonight, until Martinez’s gift-wrapped clanger.
Liverpool had more good fortune to thank when Ryan Gravenberch’s shot from the edge of the box was deflected past Martinez to make it 2-0 on the hour mark at a crucial point in the game, with Emery waiting to launch a double change.
The Reds, and notably Szoboszlai’s role in the press, forced Villa to go long, with the ball coming back at them after the Liverpool backline won the header.
Gravenberch's goal knocked the wind out of the visitors who only started to ask questions of Liverpool again until the final 15 minutes of the game, when Donyell Malen fired an effort just wide of the near post.
Daily Star Sunday
Liverpool ended their horror run of five consecutive domestic defeats as Arne Slot's side beat Aston Villa 2-0 at Anfield to revive their stuttering season
Liverpool put an end to their wretched Premier League form with a 2-0 win against Aston Villa at Anfield.
Goals from Mohamed Salah and Ryan Gravenberch saw Arne Slot's side win their first domestic game in six attempts, having lost their previous five. A night that needed something from the Reds to ease the pressure on the Dutchman and bring a smile back to the faces of their fans was duly replicated.
But Liverpool had no time to settle in the game with the visitors coming out the blocks the stronger, and they went a whisker away from taking the lead after just five minutes when Morgan Rogers smashed the post with a whipped effort from outside the goal.
Villa’s attacking prowess continued as they looked to take advantage of a fractured Liverpool backline who have been majorly caught out in recent weeks.
Giorgi Mamardashvili was forced into two strong saves in the opening 20 minutes, first from a deflected Matt Cash cross, tipping his effort onto the bar, before he kept out another shot from distance by Rogers.
The Reds had to bide their time for their clean-cut opening and it came minutes later when Dominik Szoboszlai pinched the ball off the Villa backline, but his effort one-on-one with Emi Martinez was weak and easily saved by the Argentine.
Slot set his side up to press Villa high with the visitors happy to take a risk vs reward approach to playing out from the back. The Dutchman’s decision to start Szoboszlai over Florian Wirtz in the No.10 position goes some way to telegraphing Liverpool’s set-up, with the Hungarian much more versed in pressing in this system than the struggling German.
Slot also, finally, decided to hook Milos Kerkez from the starting line-up, giving Andy Robertson an overdue start in the league, and the left-back picked up some bizarre positions when Liverpool were in possession, joining Hugo Ekitike up front as a left striker on a number of occasions.
Slot’s tactical tweak in a bid to change Liverpool’s fortunes appeared to work as Hugo Ekitike headed the Reds ahead shortly before half-time; however, VAR had to intervene to wipe off the incredibly clear and obvious offside, with almost the entirety of Ekitike’s body in an offside position.
But the goal did come minutes later, thanks to an absolute howler from Martinez as the Villa keeper laid on the best assist Mohamed Salah has ever received, misplacing his pass to Pau Torres straight to the feet of the Egyptian, who had an open goal to pass into and score his 250th goal for the club.
That risk approach from Unai Emery was as naïve as it comes at Anfield. Liverpool have been in wretched form and any chance to raise the atmosphere at Anfield looked set to be hard work tonight, until Martinez’s gift-wrapped clanger.
Liverpool had more good fortune to thank when Ryan Gravenberch’s shot from the edge of the box was deflected past Martinez to make it 2-0 on the hour mark at a crucial point in the game, with Emery waiting to launch a double change.
The Reds, and notably Szoboszlai’s role in the press, forced Villa to go long, with the ball coming back at them after the Liverpool backline won the header.
Gravenberch's goal knocked the wind out of the visitors who only started to ask questions of Liverpool again until the final 15 minutes of the game, when Donyell Malen fired an effort just wide of the near post.
Daily Star Sunday