Liverpool displayed their championship-caliber form as they cruised to a 3-0 triumph over Aston Villa at Anfield, maintaining an unbeaten start to the current Premier League campaign. The goals came from Dominik Szoboszlai, who notched his debut goal for the club, and Mohamed Salah, while Matty Cash contributed an unfortunate own goal. This resounding victory narrows the gap to Premier League leaders Manchester City to just two points, reigniting hopes of a title challenge among Liverpool fans.
Prior to their Premier League victory in 2020, Liverpool narrowly missed out on the title to City by a single point in both 2019 and 2022. However, their fortunes took a downturn last season, finishing fifth and failing to secure a Champions League spot after seven consecutive appearances. Following a challenging summer transfer market with several failed attempts to acquire targeted players, a top-four finish appeared to be Liverpool’s primary ambition for the new season.
Liverpool’s opening goal stemmed from a corner, with Trent Alexander-Arnold delivering a precise cross that found Szoboszlai on the edge of the box. The Hungarian midfielder exhibited exceptional skill, driving the ball powerfully into the far corner with his weaker left foot. Operating in a new midfield role at the base, Alexander-Arnold dictated the game’s tempo and contributed to the move leading to the second goal. Salah provided the assist for Nunez, whose effort struck the post, leading to a fortuitous deflection off Cash and into the net.
Guided by Unai Emery, Aston Villa had lost only seven of their last 28 Premier League matches. However, their susceptibility in their high defensive line, evident in their 5-1 loss to Newcastle on the opening weekend, was exposed once again. Liverpool had opportunities to extend their lead before halftime, with Joel Matip squandering a significant header chance and Nunez striking the crossbar. Conversely, Villa missed chances to inject life into the game, with John McGinn firing over the bar when one-on-one with Alisson Becker. Becker made an impressive save to deny Cash’s header early in the second half.
On the opposite end, Nunez missed a glorious opportunity, sending the ball wide with an open goal after a superb cross from Salah. The Egyptian forward remains pivotal to Liverpool’s hopes of closing the gap on City and securing their 20th English top-flight title. Salah ultimately got the goal he deserved, converting Nunez’s flick-on from a corner, further fueling Liverpool’s aspirations of a title challenge.