On Saturday, the Reds consolidated their top spot in the table by beating Aston Villa (2-0). In doing so, they benefited from City’s fourth consecutive defeat.
Liverpool consolidated top spot in the Premier League with a 2-0 win over Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday, their ninth victory in eleven matches and a five-point lead over City. Manchester City. Goals from Darwin Nunez (20th) and Mohamed Salah (84th) extended Liverpool’s lead over Pep Guardiola’s Citizens, who had earlier been beaten 2-1 at Brighton.
The Mersey club now have 28 points after eleven rounds, compared with 23 for current runners-up Manchester City, the four-time reigning English champions. Liverpool have continued their fine start to the season under new coach Arne Slot. On Saturday, Jürgen Klopp’s successor picked up his fifteenth win in seventeen matches in all competitions. By contrast, Aston Villa’s poor start to the season continued with a third winless game in the Premier League (two defeats and a draw), sending the Birmingham club down to eighth place.
Concern over Alexander-Arnold
Unai Emery’s team conceded the opening goal on a counter-attack started by Virgil van Dijk, extended by Salah and finished by Darwin Nunez, who was well off-centre when he struck (20th, 1-0). Salah rounded off the scoring with his eighth league goal of the season, again on a counter-attack from inside the Liverpool box (84th, 2-0).
The Reds were boosted by reflex saves from Caoimhin Kelleher from Amadou Onana’s header (37th) and Lucas Digne’s direct corner (38th). They were also pleased to see the referee turn a blind eye to Conor Bradley’s shirt being pulled down in the middle of the box (58th). The England full-back came on in the 24th minute to replace the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold, who may be out for England’s next few matches.