LIVERPOOL 2 VS. ASTON VILLA 0
Liverpool – Salah 45+1’, Gravenberch 58’
Pre-Match
Here we all are. Back to watch Liverpool Football Club play and trauma bond again. Nice to see Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch get another game in. Andy Robertson gets his first league start of the season over Milos Kerkez.
First Half
Liverpool survive an early warning shot at the start of the game. It was far too easy for Villa to beat their defenders and get open with loads of space. Fortunately, the resulting shot his the post, keeping the Reds
from falling behind less than 10 minutes into the game.
Liverpool didn’t look great, but they do get some tame shots at goal, though none make it in. Dominik Szoboszlai had a tame effort from outside the box, assisted by Cody Gakpo. It’s easily handled by the Villa goalkeeper. Gakpo himself headed over, and then Robertson’s shot was blocked.
Giorgi Mamardashvili makes a few diving saves, including one to keep out a bullet headed straight for the far corner of the net.
Gakpo smashes one over the bar. At this point, my PTSD just makes me glad we’re not already down a goal as we get closer to halftime. Anfield didn’t share my optimism, as the crowd let out an agonized groan at Gakpo’s waffle.
Hugo Ekitike nearly gets one in before the whistle. It’s a lovely header, but he’s fairly called offside. The play itself was lovely though. Szoboszlai’s cross was pinpoint accurate, Ekitike just couldn’t quite beat the offside trap. Good play from them at least.
Mohamed Salah got the opener in the end, scoring his 250th goal thanks to a gift from the Villa goalkeeper. The keeper’s pass was terrible, rolling passed the defender and right to the onrushing Salah, who strikes a low ball into the far corner on first touch with his weaker right foot. Holy cow, I needed that.
The Reds earned a late corner, but Conor Bradley’s shot went into the stands.
For the first time in A WHILE, Liverpool head into halftime with a lead.
Second Half
That last moment goal looked to have buoyed the Reds. They came out to start the second half looking much better.
Van Dijk got booked, followed swiftly by Matty Cash, who pulled down Ekitike.
Then Gravenberch bagged Liverpool’s second. Mac Allister passed to him on a break. Gravenberch was deep in midfield, but shown plenty of space. He ran up the center and buries one home after a slight deflection.
Moments later, in front of their own goal, Mac Allister was taken down by Onana but only received a play on from the referee.
Florian Wirtz was Slot’s first sub, coming on for Ektike.
Ross Barkley shot high and wide of the net or what was probably Villa’s best chance of the half up to that point.
Reds concede a corner via Bradley, but deal with it well enough to make it through.
Liverpool are currently sitting in 10th place, but a victory today will bring them back up to third. With less than 10 minutes to go, I want to be more confident than I am about this.
At 89’, Liverpool broke through Salah, with Gakpo and Mac Allister flanking him. He got the ball to Gakpo, who tried the 1-2 back to him, but it didn’t work. Just a touch too slow to make it count.
Final Thoughts
Big news! Hot off the presses! Liverpool Football Club wins a game of soccer!
