Crisis club Liverpool find themselves level on points with second-placed Bournemouth after picking up their first Premier League points since 20 September. Their recovery appears simple in that context and, thanks in no small part to the Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, it was the balm that Arne Slot wished for after the worst run of his Anfield reign. He knows it must be only a starting point.
Liverpool were deserving victors in the league for the first time since beating Everton in the Merseyside derby, as Villa proved the perfect guests. A terrible mistake by Martínez presented Mohamed Salah with his 250th Liverpool goal before more poor Villa defending enabled Ryan Gravenberch to double the hosts’ advantage early in the second half. Slot’s name reverberated from the Kop as Liverpool banished the anxiety of six defeats in the previous seven games. It was also sung in the 24th minute with the game goalless and delicately balanced. The support was there for Liverpool’s head coach long before the victory.
Slot reverted as close as he could to last season’s title-winning team with Andy Robertson replacing the struggling Milos Kerkez and Gravenberch partnering Alexis Mac Allister in midfield having recovered from an ankle injury. The potential £116m signing Florian Wirtz was again on the bench against dangerous Premier League opponents.
