The Saudi riches being thrown the way of Mohamed Salah should not prevent Jürgen Klopp enjoying the international break with supreme optimism over the present and future of Liverpool. His remodelled team excelled again in a dominant defeat of Aston Villa with Salah, almost inevitably, to the fore.
Unai Emery’s visitors arrived at Anfield in confident form but were comfortably eclipsed by a tireless Liverpool performance in which Klopp’s players shone on and off the ball. Dominik Szoboszlai opened the scoring inside three minutes and Villa never threatened to respond. An own goal from Matty Cash plus a tap-in from Salah maintained Liverpool’s stylish and unbeaten start to the new campaign in the 300th league game of Klopp’s reign. The Egypt international, subject of a rejected £150m bid from Al-Ittihad and continued interest from the Saudi Pro League, was involved in all three goals. It could easily have been five. There was no sign of Salah being distracted by speculation around his future as he got on with the job of winning.
“It was a top game, the best for a long time,” the Liverpool manager said. “I can’t remember the last time we were that convincing. The mix in possession between control and direction was close to perfect. We used the formation properly, everybody wanted the ball and to protect. It was a top game against an extremely strong opponent.”
Darwin Núñez was rewarded for his matchwinning heroics at Newcastle last Sunday with a first start of the season. The Uruguay international and Liverpool began where they left off at St James’ Park; on the front foot, pressing relentlessly and constantly unsettling the opposition defence, and with the added bonus of doing so with 11 players. Villa looked slow and confused by comparison. “We were a little bit weak defensively, we could have been stronger,” Emery said.
The hosts were ahead when the new favourite of Liverpool’s midfield, Szoboszlai, swept home his first goal for the club and the 900th scored under Klopp in all competitions. It arrived from a Trent Alexander-Arnold corner, conceded by Pau Torres after the dawdling Villa defender had been dispossessed inside his own area by Salah. The set piece sailed through a crowded goalmouth towards Szoboszlai, lurking unmarked outside the box, who connected with a beautiful first time drive that flew inside the stranded Emiliano Martínez’s left‑hand post.
Villa were under siege, finding no outlets, and suffered another early setback when Diego Carlos hobbled off injured. The unfortunate defender missed most of last season with a ruptured achilles tendon and required lengthy treatment before exiting down the tunnel. Emery responded positively, introducing another attacking option in Leon Bailey and returning Cash to right-back. The same could not be said of his team.
Within two minutes of the substitution Villa were two goals down. The manner in which the visitors conceded was unfortunate but their high line was exposed yet again when Alexander-Arnold released Salah with a floated ball. The coveted Egyptian touched the pass inside to Núñez who cannoned a shot against the post. Cash could do nothing about a rebound that smacked against his shins and sailed into his own net.
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There was a brief, belated spell of pressure from the visitors when John McGinn blazed over and Bailey made a mess of finishing off a flowing move involving Douglas Luiz and Lucas Digne. But Liverpool remained dominant and would have been out of sight by the interval had Joël Matip not sent a free header wide from an Alexander-Arnold free-kick or Núñez’s deft chip over Martínez not hit the bar. This time Cash cleared the rebound the right way, heading off the line before Luis Díaz could convert.
Considering Liverpool were without their first-choice centre-backs Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté, through suspension and injury respectively, this sunny Sunday stroll could not have gone much better for Klopp’s side. A hamstring injury to Alexander-Arnold was the only defensive blot on their afternoon. Joe Gomez and Matip comfortably subdued Ollie Watkins while Alisson denied Cash with a fine save when Villa did create a chance for a consolation. Substitute Bailey headed straight down the tunnel when he was replaced by Nicolò Zaniolo.
By then it was three. At the end of a week when Liverpool rejected £150m for his services, with a higher offer potentially to come, Salah had the decisive touch. Núñez flicked an Andy Robertson corner to the back post where Salah sprinted in ahead of Digne to convert. It was the 150th different game in which Salah has scored for Liverpool. Klopp is adamant there will be a 151st.
