As the pressure lifted inside Anfield and Liverpool entered stoppage time of their first Premier League win since 20 September, the Kop broke into a rousing chorus of Arne Slot’s name. But it’s easy to stand by your man when victory is in sight. A more significant rendition came at nil-nil, when the pressure was still firmly on and Dominik Szoboszlai had just squandered a glorious chance to punish the kind of lackadaisical defending that would ultimately prove Aston Villa’s downfall. Support for Slot was unequivocal when it mattered most.
Liverpool, the Premier League’s crisis club before kick-off after six defeats in seven games, sit third in the table after starting an important week with a deserved win against Villa. A first clean sheet in 11 games reflected a more controlled performance from the Premier League champions and, as Slot admitted, a change in fortune. Unai Emery’s team struck the woodwork twice when the game was delicately poised but would prove the perfect guests for a team and head coach in need of recovery.
A terrible mistake by Emiliano Martínez presented Mohamed Salah with his 250th Liverpool goal before more poor defending enabled Ryan Gravenberch to double the hosts’ advantage early in the second half. Slot was appreciative of both the personal backing and the collective endeavour needed to halt the slide. “It meant a lot,” he said of hearing his name. “Especially because it happened at nil-nil and not when we were leading or top of the league but in a difficult moment for me.”
An incontrovertible factor in Liverpool’s dramatic slump had been their habit of conceding first and having to then take more risks while chasing the game. It almost happened for an eighth game in succession when Morgan Rogers split the home defence with a superb ball into Ollie Watkins. The Villa striker returned possession to his England colleague and he stepped across Conor Bradley to curl a shot towards the far corner. Giorgi Mamardashvili was well beaten in the Liverpool goal but Rogers’ effort struck the far post and rebounded clear.
It was a reprieve that Slot’s side desperately needed with only five minutes on the clock and confidence low. It was also the cue for a highly entertaining, flowing contest. Both teams threatened repeatedly. Liverpool performed with far more aggression and urgency than of late with Szoboszlai a marauding presence again and Salah looking much sharper as he tormented Lucas Digne. Villa looked dangerous every time they broke the Liverpool press. They took some almighty risks to do so, however, and were close to gifting the champions the breakthrough twice before Martínez landed the visitors in it in first-half stoppage time.
The Villa goalkeeper erred earlier in the game when dragging a poor clearance straight to Andy Robertson. He escaped on that occasion when the recalled left-back’s shot looped off Pau Torres and landed in his arms. Next up with a gift was Boubacar Kamara, who put Torres in trouble with a needless return pass that Szoboszlai intercepted with ease. The Liverpool midfielder found himself with only Martínez to beat but stroked a tame shot straight at him. A rare blemish on the Hungary captain’s night.
Villa struck the woodwork a second time when Matty Cash made an ambitious attempt for Mamardashvili’s top corner. The right-back’s shot took a slight deflection off Virgil van Dijk before the Georgia international superbly tipped it on to the bar.
Hugo Ekitiké had been anonymous at the head of Liverpool’s attack but, like all good strikers, made his first meaningful contribution count when heading Szoboszlai’s beautiful cross inside Martínez’s bottom corner. Liverpool celebrations, and attached sense of relief, were cut short, however, when the video assistant referee disallowed the header for a clear offside against Ekitiké. Liverpool celebrations, and attached sense of relief, soon flooded back thanks to Martínez.
The World Cup winner was far too casual when attempting to play a simple pass back to Torres inside the Villa area. A quite dreadful ball went straight to Salah instead. The much-scrutinised striker made light work of his second goal in two games, sliding the ball around Torres and into an unguarded Villa net for the latest milestone in his phenomenal Liverpool career.
To Emery’s despair, the Villa defence were not done with dangerous over-elaboration and presenting Liverpool with opportunity. Just before the hour Martínez squared another risky pass to Torres who, under pressure, swiped a clearance towards Van Dijk. Liverpool worked the ball to Gravenberch in space and the influential midfielder let fly from 20 yards with a shot that took a touch off both Ezri Konsa and Torres before beating the wrongfooted Villa keeper.
Slot’s reaction, indeed the reaction of the Liverpool team and support, encapsulated the release of pressure. Now on to Real Madrid and Manchester City.
