Trent Alexander-Arnold’s damage time winner ended Liverpool’s file run of residence defeats to beat Aston Villa 2-1 and transfer as much as fourth within the Premier League on Saturday. The English champions had misplaced their earlier six video games at Anfield and fell behind once more when Alisson Becker failed to maintain out Ollie Watkins’s first-half strike. Liverpool have been then controversially denied an equaliser as a doubtful VAR evaluation dominated out Roberto Firmino’s reply.
However Mohamed Salah levelled simply earlier than the hour mark earlier than Alexander-Arnold responded in type to the criticism he has obtained of late.
The proper-back was dropped from England supervisor Gareth Southgate’s squad final month and was at fault for Actual Madrid’s second aim as Liverpool misplaced the primary leg of their Champions League quarter-final towards the Spanish giants 3-1 on Tuesday.
Alexander-Arnold’s attacking output has been a outstanding a part of Liverpool’s success within the final three seasons beneath Jurgen Klopp and the 22-year-old confirmed what he can do with a superb end to curve the ball into the far nook.
Victory takes Liverpool again into pole place for a spot in subsequent season’s Champions League as they leapfrog West Ham, Chelsea and Tottenham.
– Alisson at fault –
The primary cracks in a tough season for Liverpool emerged when Villa received their first assembly of the season 7-2 at Villa Park in October.
That was previous to the Reds shedding Virgil van Dijk to a season-ending damage that has destabilised their whole marketing campaign.
Villa have additionally suffered shedding their talismanic expertise in Jack Grealish over the previous two months.
Dean Smith’s males have now received solely twice in eight video games with out the England worldwide to see their hopes of a top-four end come up quick.
After back-to-back league wins for the primary time in 2021, Liverpool began brightly in an try to put their Anfield hoodoo behind them.
Salah got here closest to opening the scoring for Klopp’s males earlier than the break when he prodded simply broad after pouncing on a slack passback by Tryone Mings.
Alisson was additionally at fault in Madrid in midweek as he let Vinicius Junior’s effort by his grasp for Actual’s important third aim.
The Brazilian made the identical mistake as Watkins’s strike was straight down the center of the aim, however had an excessive amount of energy for Alisson’s weak hand two minutes earlier than half-time.
Liverpool nonetheless thought that they had levelled earlier than the break when Firmino turned residence a free ball on the again put up.
Nevertheless, the aim was dominated out after a prolonged VAR evaluation for offside towards Diogo Jota within the build-up regardless of inconclusive proof.
To their credit score, that disappointment didn’t knock the stuffing out of the hosts as they began the second interval on the entrance foot.
Liverpool received their reward on 57 minutes when Salah headed residence his twenty eighth aim of the season after Emiliano Martinez may solely parry Andy Robertson’s highly effective strike.
One other Egyptian worldwide was inches away from restoring Villa’s lead on the different finish moments later as Trezeguet’s shot got here again off the within of the put up.
Promoted
Klopp launched Thiago Alcantara, Sadio Mane and Xherdan Shaqiri off the bench in a bid for a winner and the modifications made the specified influence.
Martinez produced one other gorgeous save to disclaim Thiago turning residence Shaqiri’s cross, however the free ball got here to Alexander-Arnold, who with Southgate in attendance, fired a well timed reminder of the standard he possesses.
