A second-half penalty from Mohamed Salah sealed a narrow win for Liverpool against an inspired Aston Villa side at Anfield on Saturday.
MATCH PROCEEDINGS
The home side had the lion’s share of the possession and inside the opening 10 minutes had the first attempt on goal from Trent Alexander-Arnold whose effort was blocked by Matt Targett.
Emi Martinez’s strong right hand denied Andy Robertson the chance to find the back of the net with his header from Alexander-Arnold delivery into the box as Oxlade-Chamberlain tried his luck from a fair distance out with an ambitious yet close strike.
Liverpool survived a scare on the other end of the pitch with an onrushing Alisson Becker failing to stop Ashley Young in his tracks only for Joel Matip to step in.
Both teams went into the interval at nil-nil with Mohamed Salah denied by Martinez who had make a good stop to keep his side in the affair.
A good chance came Liverpool’s way early on in the second period with Van Dijk directing a header goalwards from Alexander-Arnold’s corner which forced another save from Martinez.
The much-needed breakthrough arrived a little over the hour mark when Tyrone Mings brought down Salah in the box as the referee Stuart Attwell pointed to the spot.
Salah was clinical in his effort and gave the Reds a well-earned lead which could have been doubled when Diogo Jota fired his effort over the bar in the final stages that was soon followed up by the final whistle.
