Liverpool vs Aston Villa LIVE!
Liverpool returned to winning ways in the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at Anfield. The Reds had been on a four-game winless streak in the top flight, but they snapped that on Saturday evening with strikes from Mohamed Salah and the returning Ryan Gravenberch. Salah struck his 250th goal for the club - becoming just the third player to do that after Ian Rush and Roger Hunt - on the stroke of half time, after an error from Emi Martinez. The Argentine sold Pau Torres short, and Salah stroked into the unguarded net to eke the hosts ahead at the break.
They doubled their lead when Gravenberch, returning from injury, burst through from midfield, with his effort taking a deflection off Torres and into the visiting net on 58 minutes. The champions did not have it all their own way, though, dealt a scare on six minutes when Morgan Rogers cracked the woodwork. Matty Cash forced Giorgi Mamardashvili into a smart save at his near post as his cross-shot took an awkward ricochet off Virgil van Dijk, but the deputy shot-stopper was equal to it.
Hugo Ekitike thought he had opened the scoring, nodding home from Dominik Szoboszlai’s cross, but the Frenchman had gone too early; flagged for being a yard offside. In the end, it was a comfortable reminder of how to win a Premier League game, as Slot’s decision to revert to experience and last season’s model proved the right one. Up next, they welcome Real Madrid and Trent Alexander-Arnold back to Merseyside, for what should be a cracker of a Champions League clash.
Liverpool vs Aston Villa latest news
- GOAL! Gravenberch doubles lead
- GOAL! Salah opens scoring
- NO GOAL! Ekitike strike disallowed
- BIG CHANCE! Szoboszlai spurns opportunity
- POST! Rogers rattles woodwork
FT: Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
21:57 , Oli GentThere we have it. Liverpool are back to winning ways, and in relatively comfortable fashion in the end.
Thanks for joining us on Standard Sport, be sure to come back very soon for even more LIVE Premier League action!
Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
21:54 , Oli Gent90+3 mins: Mings is off down the tunnel, shaking his head. He’s pulled his hamstring.
Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
21:53 , Oli Gent90+2 mins: Close! Bradley bursts into the box and looks to cut it back, and Konsa nearly deflects it past his own goalkeeper!
Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
21:52 , Oli Gent90 mins: Four added minutes.
Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
21:50 , Oli Gent88 mins: Emery and Szoboszlai are both booked, with the Liverpool midfielder delaying a restart, and Emery furious with him, berating the fourth official in response.
Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
21:49 , Oli Gent87 mins: Sancho tries to show tricky feet to Bradley and cut inside, but he blazes an effort at goal high and wide.
Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
21:46 , Oli Gent84 mins: Villa are pushing to halve the deficit, but they’re still lacking that penetration in the final third. There’s not really a presence up top with Watkins off the field...
Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
21:43 , Oli Gent81 mins: Rogers is booked for dissent.
Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
21:39 , Oli Gent78 mins: Ekitike is replaced by Florian Wirtz.
Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
21:39 , Oli Gent77 mins: Good defending! Ekitike looks for the inswinger in towards Salah, but the substitute left-back nods it clear!
Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
21:37 , Oli Gent75 mins: Ian Maatsen, Tyrone Mings, and Jadon Sancho are on for Torres, Digne, and Watkins.
Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
21:36 , Oli Gent74 mins: There’s a ruckus in the Liverpool box from the Villa corner, as Onana and Mac Allister have a wrestle, but it’s well defended by Konate.
Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
21:33 , Oli Gent70 mins: Malen has his first sighting of goal as he drives and gets his head up. He works some space to shoot, but the effort is wide of the near post.
Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
21:30 , Oli Gent68 mins: Patient build-up from the hosts, who are in cruise control. The cushion is comfortable at the moment.
Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
21:28 , Oli Gent65 mins: Liverpool are hunting a third here but you wonder when Slot’s mind will turn to midweek, where they face Real Madrid...
Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
21:23 , Oli Gent61 mins: McGinn and Guessand are replaced by Donyell Malen and Ross Barkley.
Goal! Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
21:21 , Oli Gent58 mins: It’s two, and it’s Ryan Gravenberch! Back from injury and back with a goal. The Dutchman drives through midfield and it opens up for him. It deflects off Torres and finds its way in!
Liverpool 1-0 Aston Villa
21:19 , Oli Gent57 mins: Super skill from Ekitike with a neat backheeled pass for Mac Allister to get him out of a tight spot. The Argentine is fouled by Cash, who is booked.
Liverpool 1-0 Aston Villa
21:17 , Oli Gent54 mins: Van Dijk is cautioned for dissent.
Liverpool 1-0 Aston Villa
21:16 , Oli Gent53 mins: Lovely football from Liverpool as Gakpo breaks free down the left. He searches out Salah at the far post. The Egyptian knocks it down for Bradley who strikes, but Martinez saves! The flag is up against Salah.
Liverpool 1-0 Aston Villa
21:13 , Oli Gent51 mins: A scare for Villa early in this second half, but they’re looking a bit more assured now on the ball. How will they respond?
Liverpool 1-0 Aston Villa
21:11 , Oli Gent48 mins: Chance! A lovely ball in from Salah, bending it to the far post for Gakpo, but he doesn’t control it and looks across, praying for a flag that eventually gets raised!
Kick off!
21:10 , Oli Gent46 mins: We’re back underway.
HT: Liverpool 1-0 Aston Villa
20:51 , Oli GentThere’s the interval. Liverpool are ahead, and on the balance of play, they deserve it.
What will the second half have in store?
Goal! Liverpool 1-0 Aston Villa
20:48 , Oli Gent45+1 mins: There it is, and this one will count! Mohamed Salah scores his 250th goal for the club, becoming the third player to do that for Liverpool. It’s a huge mistake from Martinez, who sells Torres short, and Salah strokes into the unguarded net!
Liverpool 0-0 Aston Villa
20:47 , Oli Gent45 mins: Four added minutes.
No goal! Liverpool 0-0 Aston Villa
20:45 , Oli Gent44 mins: The goal is chalked off, with Ekitike offside as the cross was played in!
Goal! Liverpool 1-0 Aston Villa
20:45 , Oli Gent43 mins: It’s there, and Liverpool are in front! Hugo Ekitike delivers once more, on the stroke of half time. Szoboszlai is at the heart of it. He picks it up in the right half-space, and he picks out the striker, who nods home past Martinez!
Liverpool 0-0 Aston Villa
20:41 , Oli Gent39 mins: Free kick, Aston Villa. Watkins and Guessand have both taken whacks from Gravenberch and van Dijk respectively.
Liverpool 0-0 Aston Villa
20:38 , Oli Gent36 mins: Liverpool try to force their way through with some intricate interplay on the edge of the box. They can’t work it into the area, however, and Villa survive once more.
Liverpool 0-0 Aston Villa
20:35 , Oli Gent33 mins: It’s Szoboszlai over it, and he goes ‘keeper’s side... but Martinez parries, and it doesn’t fall for a Liverpool player! No-one in red was following in!
Liverpool 0-0 Aston Villa
20:33 , Oli Gent32 mins: Free kick, Liverpool. Gakpo makes a dart infield onto his stronger right foot and Guessand lunges in and takes him down on the edge of the area. Chance here for a right-footer. Who will take this?
Liverpool 0-0 Aston Villa
20:31 , Oli Gent30 mins: Free kick, Aston Villa. The referee deems that Konate is a bit forceful on Watkins under the high ball, with the hands on the England striker’s back.
Liverpool 0-0 Aston Villa
20:29 , Oli Gent27 mins: It’s patient play from the hosts as they look to knock it around and wait for the opening. Szoboszlai peels off his man to get in behind, but he’s eased out of it by Onana. The Hungarian nudges the Belgian in the back into the advertising hoardings, and Villa aren’t happy about that!
Liverpool 0-0 Aston Villa
20:25 , Oli Gent23 mins: What a chance! Huge mistake from Torres and Kamara as they’re robbed by Salah in the final third. He feeds Szoboszlai, who’s through on goal, but his finish is tame and straight at Martinez!
Liverpool 0-0 Aston Villa
20:24 , Oli Gent22 mins: Blazed over the top by Salah to round off what was another nice Liverpool transition. Szoboszlai had peeled wide right with Salah moving into a central area, but the Egyptian leans back and balloons his effort from range over the bar.
Liverpool 0-0 Aston Villa
20:21 , Oli Gent19 mins: Good save! Villa flow forward with freedom as Kamara feeds Cash down the right. The full-back goes for the cross-shot which deflects awkwardly off Van Dijk, and Mamardashvili has to save well at the near post!
Liverpool 0-0 Aston Villa
20:19 , Oli Gent18 mins: Close! A good move from Liverpool as Salah gets the other side of Digne and feeds Gakpo at the far post. He knocks it down for Ekitike who throws himself at it, but can’t make contact to direct it goalwards!
Liverpool 0-0 Aston Villa
20:18 , Oli Gent17 mins: Free kick, Liverpool. A decent position here for Robertson to swing one in from the left. It’s thrown in towards van Dijk, but the referee blows up for a push by Konate.
Liverpool 0-0 Aston Villa
20:15 , Oli Gent15 mins: Bradley is causing some issues with his runs in behind on the overlap. He goes beyond Salah and the winger picks him out. The right-back looks for Ekitike with the cut-back, but it’s cleared well by Torres.
Liverpool 0-0 Aston Villa
20:13 , Oli Gent12 mins: It’s been a positive start from Villa. They’re not looking uncomfortable on the ball, and they’re looking to get at the champions.
Liverpool 0-0 Aston Villa
20:10 , Oli Gent9 mins: A few murmurings around Anfield with Liverpool not getting the ball forward as quickly as the home fans would like.
Bradley gets high and wide looking for the cross, but his delivery is nodded clear by Cash. It comes out for Robertson more centrally, but his ball in is overcooked.
Liverpool 0-0 Aston Villa
20:08 , Oli Gent6 mins: Off the post! Villa break away quickly, having played through Liverpool’s high press. Watkins races away before feeding Rogers, who rattles the woodwork!
Liverpool 0-0 Aston Villa
20:05 , Oli Gent4 mins: Tactical observations for you. It’s very much a last-season look for Liverpool, with Mac Allister alongside Gravenberch, and Szoboszlai down the middle as the No10.
For Villa, Guessand is wide right, with Rogers behind Watkins centrally.
Liverpool 0-0 Aston Villa
20:03 , Oli Gent2 mins: Early problem for Watkins, who runs into Gravenberch from the kick off. He stayed down, but he was just a bit stunned. No issues, and he’s back up.
Kick off!
20:01 , Oli Gent1 min: We’re underway.
Five minutes to kick off!
19:56 , Oli GentThe anticipation is building. It’s time for You’ll Never Walk Alone...
Emery's pre-match thoughts
19:50 , Oli Gent... and here’s what Unai Emery is thinking ahead of this one..
"We are ready for this challenge"
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 1, 2025
Unai Emery gives @Becky_Ives_ his pre-match thoughts ahead of Liverpool clash...
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/ZrYyNuyIx8
Slot's pre-match thoughts
19:43 , Oli GentHere’s what the Dutchman had to say...
"I think we deserved more in most of the games we've lost"
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 1, 2025
Arne Slot reflects on Liverpool's tough run of results of late and looks ahead to tonight's game against Aston Villa...
🎙️ @Becky_Ives_
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/bpUJLZpeqm
'I will be there'
19:31 , Oli GentRyan Gravenberch spoke his return this evening into existence.
The Dutchman was touch-and-go as to whether he would be fit for this game, but he has made it into the starting XI.
Here’s what he had to say...
How will Villa approach this?
19:20 , Oli GentWith Emery sides away from home, you’d imagine - counter attack.
As to how well they’re set up for that, you can see in their attacking quadrant.
John McGinn might not have the pace necessary for swift breakaways, but Evan Guessand and Morgan Rogers certainly do, as does Ollie Watkins when he spins in behind off the shoulders of centre-backs.
You can expect McGinn to drift infield and look for those defence-splitting passes to release Watkins and Guessand in behind, while Rogers will look to drive through the heart of what’s been a brittle Liverpool defence recently.
He and Guessand’s ball-carrying ability will be crucial here in not just getting Villa further up the pitch, but also winning those small fouls to slow the game down and get them through what could be a tough 90 minutes unscathed.
Let's analyse these lineups, shall we?
19:13 , Oli GentFor Liverpool, it’s back to basics.
No faffing about, just doing what they do best. They’ve reverted to pretty much that title-winning side, barring Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and having a new striker up top.
But the core of that XI is the same, and the DNA won’t have changed much either - to win games.
They need to arrest their slide this evening, and Slot has turned to his experienced heads to do that for him.
Robertson for Kerkez makes sense, even if the Scot had a torrid time against Palace in the League Cup last time out.
No Wirtz!
19:00 , Oli GentFlorian Wirtz is dropped to the bench for this one, with Dominik Szoboszlai back in the No10 position behind Hugo Ekitike.
Andy Robertson gets the nod at left-back, while Alexis Mac Allister gets the nod alongside Ryan Gravenberch, who makes his return.
Aston Villa lineup
18:50 , Oli GentConfirmed Aston Villa lineup: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Onana, Kamara; McGinn, Rogers, Guessand, Watkins
Subs: Bizot, Maatsen, Lindelof, Mings, Bogarde, Barkley, Sancho, Malen, Broggio
Liverpool lineup
18:47 , Oli GentConfirmed Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Ekitike
Subs: Woodman, Pecsi, Gomez, Endo, Kerkez, Wirtz, Chiesa, Nyoni, Ngumoha
Why is this game at 8pm?
18:35 , Oli GentThis fixture was initially scheduled for a 12.30pm GMT kick off. Now, it’s happening this evening. Why?
Liverpool predicted XI
18:25 , Oli GentHow might the Reds line up? Here’s what we think...
Mamardashvili; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike
Standard Sport prediction
18:09 , Oli GentBy opting to name a youthful and inexperienced team in the Carabao Cup tie, Slot has put himself under immense pressure to get a result against Villa.
There’s an expectation that a refreshed Liverpool side will produce a better performance, but their struggles at defending set-pieces and inability to keep a clean sheet means the visitors should fancy their chances of at least a point.
Draw, 2-2.
Aston Villa team news
18:00 , Oli GentVilla will be without on-loan Harvey Elliott due to Premier League rules that prevent the attacking midfielder from playing against his parent club.
Youri Tielemans and Emiliano Buendia will also to miss the trip to Anfield. It remains to be seen what role Jadon Sancho is given after his reaction to being substituted in the win over Man City.
Liverpool team news
17:50 , Oli GentSlot will certainly recall a number of key players who were rested against Crystal Palace in midweek. Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Mohamed Salah, Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai should all return.
Meanwhile, Ryan Gravenberch is back in full training after missing the last three games with a twisted ankle sustained in the 2-1 home loss to Manchester United on October 19.
That said, Slot confirmed in the pre-match press conference on Friday morning that Alexander Isak and Curtis Jones are 99.9% certain to miss the game, thus joining Alisson Becker, Jeremie Frimpong and Giovanni Leoni on the unavailable list.
The Dutchman did tweak his system against Palace, lining up with three central defenders, so it remains to be seen if a formation change will stay in an attempt to reverse Liverpool’s fortunes.
How to watch
17:40 , Oli GentTV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on TNT Sports. Coverage starts at 7pm GMT on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate ahead of the 8pm kick-off.
Live stream: TNT Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Discovery+ app and website.
Free highlights: The Sky Sports app and YouTube channel will show highlights shortly after the final whistle with Match of the Day broadcasting on BBC One at 10.30pm GMT.
Hello and welcome!
17:28 , Oli Gent... to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Liverpool’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa.
The Reds are out to snap a four-game winless streak in the league, with pressure piling on Arne Slot.
What can they do here? Stay tuned for all the updates, with kick off at 8pm GMT.
