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Key occasions
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Aston Villa (Salah 45+2)
And now he’s again on the scoresheet!
45 min Salah slips Digne fantastically, just for Onana to get again and put out the burgeoning hearth. Salah has proven glimpses of his greatest tonight, notably with these fast touches to evade an incoming defender.
No purpose! Liverpool 0-0 Aston Villa
Yep, Ekitike was offside. Simply earlier than the disallowed purpose, not more than ten seconds, Konsa lunged to make a superb block from Mac Allister’s shot.
Grasp on, this seems offside. It was a superb downward header from Szoboszlai’s cross however it is going to be dominated out.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Aston Villa (Ekitike 43)
At one finish or one other, a purpose was coming!
39 min Watkins is bundled over 30-odd yards from purpose after a sinuous run infield. Money drives the free-kick effectively broad.
38 min Robertson’s free-kick is fractionally too excessive for Konate on the far put up; his header thus goes effectively broad.
36 min Gakpo’s snapshot is blocked by Money after a fast Liverpool transfer.
35 min Loads of Liverpool stress now. The primary purpose is at all times vital however tonight it feels positively Brobdingnagian, Clive.
33 min Szoboszlai curls free-kick that’s pushed away to his left by the diving Martinez. I fancy he noticed that late, which made it a greater save.
32 min Gakpo strikes easily infield and is tripped by Guessand simply outdoors the realm. That would have been a yellow card and Robertson politely asks the referee what’s what.
Extra importantly, Liverpool have a free-kick 20 yards from purpose, a good approach to the left of centre…
29 min Onana is again on.
27 min Onana stays down after working into one of many promoting boards behind the Villa purpose. He was given a serving to shove by Szoboszlai as he shepherded the ball out of play.
Villa’s gamers aren’t completely happy; nor are the house followers; neither is Van Dijk, who desires the sport to proceed. However the excellent news is all events have coated themselves in empathic glory!
26 min “By no means thoughts the ultimate rating, this might be 4-3 (or 3-4) already,” says Matt Dony. “Thrilling recreation, however terrified that Liverpool are losing so many alternatives.”
You ought to be impartial mate; it’s nice enjoyable.
25 min Guessand breaks behind Van Dijk and strikes into the realm. Robertson makes , if dangerous, sort out from the unsuitable facet and the hazard passes.
For about 10 seconds, till Liverpool lose the ball in their very own penalty space and Guessand’s shot from 18 yards is desperately blocked by Van Dijk.
23 min: Large likelihood for Szoboszlai!
Szoboszlai does fantastically to learn a return go in the direction of Pau Torres simply outdoors the realm, nick the ball and run by means of on purpose. However his left-foot end is tame and Martinez falls to his proper to avoid wasting.
22 min On the different finish, Salah shoots over from the sting of the D. This match is nice enjoyable; the tempo is ferocious.
21 min Rogers swerves majestically away from Gravenberch and curls a shot in the direction of purpose from 25 yards. Mamardashvili dives to his proper to push it away – a snug save, actually in comparison with the final one, however an exhilarating run from Rogers.
19 min: Very good save by Mamardashvili!
Money wallops a shot from a daft angle that takes a nick off Van Dijk and flies in the direction of the highest nook. Mamardashvili leaps excessive to his left and fingertips the ball onto the skin of the put up and behind for a nook. That’s a fantastic cease, the type Mamardashvili made each couple of minutes (or so it appeared) at Euro 2024.
18 min Good spell this for Liverpool, with the group discovering their voice once more. Salah slips Digne expertly, then cuts inside and crosses in the direction of Gakpo on the far put up. He heads again throughout purpose and Ekitike can’t attain the the ball on the stretch. It got here at a clumsy peak.
Seconds later, Szoboszlai’s intelligent looping header finds Robertson, whose sidefoot volley from the sting of the realm deflects by means of to Martinez.
15 min Szoboszlai, 25 yards out, hits a candy strike that goes just a few yards previous the left-hand put up. It wasn’t too far broad however Martinez was snug and barely even seemed on the ball.
13 min Salah performs an excellent go to the underlapping Bradley, whose cutback is crucially minimize out on the close to put up by Torres. Glorious positioning.
12 min Watkins seems energetic and is pulling to the left at each alternative, with McGinn and Rogers supporting him on that facet. One such run results in a throw-in excessive up the pitch. Digne takes it brief, will get it again and swings a cross that’s headed away by Van Dijk.
9 min Szoboszlai’s cross from the precise is headed away so far as Robertson. He tries to whip a cross again in the direction of Salah however overhits it. It’s been a enjoyable, quick begin to the sport.
5 min: Rogers hits the put up!
Morgan Rogers, simply inside the realm to the left of centre, whips a shot that thumps the far put up and rebounds to security. An excellent effort from Rogers, who had additionally began the transfer with an excellent lengthy go out to Watkins.
4 min The away finish cheer lustily when the ball rolls out of play after Gakpo fails to manage a crossfield go from Konate.
2 min Gravenberch’s shot from distance is blocked on the sting of the realm. Liverpool, as you’d anticipate, have come flying out of the traps.
1 min Aston Villa, in white, kick off from left to proper as we watch. Nice ambiance at Anfield.
On the ball – guess the footballer
The Guardian (that’s us, people) has kicked off a brand new chapter in puzzles with the launch of its first every day soccer recreation, On the ball. It’s now reside within the app for each iOS and Android … so what are you ready for?
“I’m on the practice with a bunch of Pompey lads who wont get residence ‘til about midnight after a 4-0 shellacking at St Andrew’s,” writes Gary Naylor. “That they’re in good spirits and planning one other away day to Hull, speaks to the irrational nature of the soccer fan, the sport a largely protected house for an in any other case harmful indulgence.
“That irrationality desires Liverpool to be in disaster, loves the prospect of the inquests within the morning, the phone-ins that may demand his Slot’s head on a stick and Salah and Van Dijk to be bought in January. It’s infantile and all however indefensible – however hundreds of thousands of us really feel like this!”
Expensive Liverpool followers, Gary’s contact particulars can be found for a small payment.
All set? This might be a cracker. I’m predicting Liverpool 4-3 Aston Villa.
A reminder of the groups
Liverpool (4-2-3-1) Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Ekitike.
Subs: Woodman, Pecsi, Gomez, Endo, Kerkez, Wirtz, Chiesa, Nyoni, Ngumoha.
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1) Martinez; Money, Konsa, Pau, Digne; Onana, Kamara; Guessand, Rogers, McGinn; Watkins.
Subs: Bizot, Maatsen, Lindelof, Mings, Bogarde, Barkley, Sancho, Malen, Broggio.
Referee Stuart Attwell.
“Yeah, Liverpool had been prime of the league just a few weeks in the past, however in all honesty, they weren’t enjoying an enormous quantity higher then than they’re now,” writes Matt Dony. “That mad run of late winners wasn’t sustainable. Typically a workforce has good luck, generally they’ve dangerous luck, and also you simply must hope all of it evens out.
“This group of gamers is just too good to be this mediocre for a protracted interval, issues will definitely click on into place sooner or later. However I concern it will not be sufficient. I fear that (already) the title could also be gone. The psychological affect of this spell will possible linger, for each Liverpool AND Arsenal.
“Nonetheless, just a few pride-restoring wins within the brief time period could be an enormous assist. And, hey, if not tonight, there’s at all times Actual Madrid and Man Metropolis to come back within the subsequent few days. What may probably go unsuitable…”
The Premier League desk going into tonight’s recreation
Liverpool (tenth) and Villa (eleventh) will soar to 3rd in the event that they win. It’s like snakes and bloody ladders.
Premier League consequence: Spurs 0-1 Chelsea
Joao Pedro’s purpose gave Chelsea victory at Spurs – however they may have received by 4 or 5. Scott Murray is following that one.
Arne Slot makes three modifications from final Saturday’s defeat at Brentford. Andy Robertson replaces the struggling Milos Kerkez at left-back; Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister are available in for Curtis Jones and Florian Wirtz.
Only one modified to the Villa facet that beat Manchester Metropolis: Evann Guessand is available in for the injured Emi Buendia.
Workforce information
Liverpool (4-2-3-1) Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Ekitike.
Subs: Woodman, Pecsi, Gomez, Endo, Kerkez, Wirtz, Chiesa, Nyoni, Ngumoha.
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1) Martinez; Money, Konsa, Pau, Digne; Onana, Kamara; Guessand, Rogers, McGinn; Watkins.
Subs: Bizot, Maatsen, Lindelof, Mings, Bogarde, Barkley, Sancho, Malen, Broggio.
Referee Stuart Attwell.
Andy Hunter
Arne Slot has stated the Liverpool hierarchy share his views on the explanations for the workforce’s stoop and he is not going to abandon an attacking type searching for a approach out. The top coach admitted that six defeats in seven video games was unacceptable earlier than Aston Villa’s go to on Saturday and denied making excuses for Liverpool’s worst home run in 72 years.
Slot accepted the stress was on earlier than his makeshift workforce exited the Carabao Cup towards Crystal Palace on Wednesday. That stress to arrest the slide, nonetheless, shouldn’t be, he insisted, coming from Liverpool’s proprietor, Fenway Sports activities Group, FSG’s chief govt of soccer, Michael Edwards, or the sporting director, Richard Hughes, after a summer season switch outlay of just about £450m.
Learn extra…
Preamble
In a dim, distant previous – 5 and a bit weeks in the past – Liverpool had been prime of the Premier League, 12 factors away from 18th-placed Aston Villa. Now the 2 golf equipment are degree on factors, snuggled collectively in mid-table.
Villa’s restoration is a reminder that issues change in a short time in soccer; that dangerous patches are nearly unavoidable and also you simply must trip them out. Simpler stated than executed, particularly whenever you:
a) are the reigning champions
b) are one of many greatest golf equipment on the earth
c) spent eye-watering wonga in the summertime and
d) exist in a tradition that has gone fully mad
The excellent news for Arne Slot is that there’s a easy answer: if Liverpool win tonight, the bloodlustful plenty will look elsewhere. Not less than till the following recreation.
Kick off 8pm.