Liverpool 'looking really good' admits Klopp after Villa rout
HAND ON HEART: Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp salutes the fans. Picture: Peter Byrne/PA Wire.
WHISPER it quietly, but this emphatic victory against a highly-regarded Villa side, suggests Liverpool are starting to get that look in their eye again - whatever the future holds for Mo Salah.
A promising start to the new Premier League season is now an excellent one for the Reds after Unai Emery’s team were put to the sword at Anfield.
Salah, of course, was on the scoresheet, with JĂĽrgen Klopp confirming afterwards that he expects the Egyptian to stay at Anfield despite interest from Saudi Pro League club Al Ittihad, who had a ÂŁ150 million bid turned down by Liverpool on Friday.
With the Saudi transfer window remaining open until Thursday, the possibility of a further twist in this summer-long saga remains, but Liverpool continue to insist Salah is not for sale and Klopp does not believe that stance will change this week.
“Yup,” he replied, deadpan, when asked, post-match, if he expected Liverpool to stand firm.
Case closed? Reds fans will hope so, for there is a growing sense that, for all the distractions and the disruption in the transfer window, something is building at Anfield, and having Salah at the heart of it will be key.
Certainly, those dreaming of a successful campaign at Anfield will have loved what they saw from their side here.
The 3-0 scoreline certainly did not flatter Klopp’s side, whose performance was full of the kind of intensity, aggression and quality which has been sorely lacking for much of the past 12 months, and who have now taken 10 points from a possible 12 at the start of the campaign, and from a testing set of fixtures too.
“It was a top game, the best for a while,” said Klopp. “We looked really good.” It was hard to disagree. Klopp had called on Friday for supporters to “really buy in” to what his team is trying to do this season, and there was plenty to admire about the way they went about their business here.
Liverpool’s first-half display, in particular, was excellent, full of snap and intent from the first whistle. It was received accordingly by the home fans.
Having stumbled out of the blocks in their last home fixture against Bournemouth, Liverpool flew out of them here.
They were ahead inside four minutes as Dominik Szoboszlai, already a firm favourite, struck his first Liverpool goal, a sweet left-foot strike into the far corner after a Trent Alexander-Arnold corner had dropped to him invitingly on the edge of the box.
With Ryan Gravenberch, the ÂŁ34million deadline-day capture from Bayern Munich, watching on from the stands, Liverpool overwhelmed Villa at times with their energy and purpose.
Emery bemoaned his side’s lack of composure in the final third - “We were not clinical,” he said - but in truth the visitors were second best all over the field, and left chastened after a second heavy away defeat of the campaign.
Villa lost Diego Carlos to an injury after 16 minutes, and were two down soon after.
Salah, of course, was heavily involved, collecting a trademark pass from Alexander-Arnold down the right and finding Darwin Nunez, whose shot smashed against the post but ricocheted into the net off the unfortunate Matty Cash for 2-0.
Liverpool could have been further ahead by half-time, Nunez hitting the bar from Salah’s pass, but they made the game safe early in the second half, with the same two players combining.
Nunez, a menacing presence all afternoon, rose highest to flick on Andy Robertson’s corner at the Kop end and there was Salah to notch his 188th Liverpool goal at the far post.
He has now scored or assisted in 10 successive Premier League matches, the first player to do so since December 2021. And guess who did it back then? Salah, of course.
“Mo didn’t look for a second like he thought of anything but Aston Villa,” Klopp said when asked whether the week’s speculation might have affected his star man’s mindset heading into the game.
“He doesn’t need to tell me he is staying. He speaks with his training and his performances. He’s a world class player, no doubt and I am really pleased he is in my team.” And so Liverpool head into the international break on a high, back on form and back in the top four. Playing well, with new signings impressing and with their supporters onside, just as Klopp likes.
The only sour note here was the loss of Alexander-Arnold to injury in the second half. A hamstring issue, Klopp confirmed, with the full-back set to undergo a scan to determine the severity.
He is, at the very least, unlikely to join up with Gareth Southgate’s England squad for their upcoming games with Ukraine and Scotland.
“Besides that, I can’t imagine a better Sunday,” Klopp admitted. There have been a few dark days at Anfield recently, but the future looks bright.
And it looks as if Salah will be playing a big role in it.
(4-3-3): Alisson 7, Alexander-Arnold 8 (Quansah 71, 6), Matip 7, Gomez 8, Robertson 7, Jones 7 (Elliott 65, 6), Szoboszlai 8, Mac Allister 7 (Endo 87), Salah 8, Diaz 7 (Jota 65, 6), Nunez 7 (Gakpo 65, 6). Substitutes (not used): Kelleher, Quansah, Tsimikas, Endo, Bajcetic, Elliott, Doak, Gakpo, JotaÂ
(3-5-2): Martinez 6, Konsa 5, Diego Carlos 5 (Bailey 19, Zaniolo 65), Pau Torres 5, Cash 5, Kamara 5, Luiz 5 (Tielemans 73), McGinn 5, Diaby 6, Watkins 5 (Duran 73).Substitutes (not used): Olsen, Chambers, Lenglet, Dendoncker, KellymanÂ
: Simon Hooper 6Â
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