Liverpool narrowed the gap on the Premier League's top four after holding off a plucky challenge by Aston Villa on Monday night.
Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk struck in the first half before Stefan Bajcetic’s first senior goal made it 3-1.
Victory moved them five points adrift of the Champions League spots, remaining on sixth, before Friday’s visit by Leicester.
Yet they rode their luck against mid-table Villa, who put up a fight but missed chances and lacked the quality when it mattered most, despite Ollie Watkins’ strike.
Jurgen Klopp had seen second-placed Newcastle move 11 points clear with a stroll at Leicester so he knew victory was imperative, not just to keep in touch with the Magpies but reel in the top four.
It looked like it might be a difficult night when Emi Buendia teed up Watkins inside the opening 60 seconds, but he lacked the power to beat Alisson Becker.
It was a miss that summed up Villa’s attacking threat — all promise and no quality — and one they would quickly rue.
Darwin Nunez dummied Andy Robertson’s cross, leading to Robin Olsen and Tyrone Mings colliding and the defender needing treatment.
-
ASTON VILLA RATINGS: Robin Olsen 5 – Positioned well to stop Darwin Nunez in the first half, but an overall disappointing night with three goals conceded. Reuters -
Ashley Young 5 – Struggled to deal with the overlapping runs of Andy Robertson. Rash with his passing out from the back. EPA -
Tyrone Mings 5 – Made some positive interventions but had to do better to close down the space for Liverpool’s third goal. Reuters -
Ezri Konsa 4 – Sloppy at times with his defensive work and wasn’t able to match Darwin Nunez’s movement. PA -
Lucas Digne 5 – Unconvincing with his work for the majority of the match, and that was exemplified by when he was beaten far too easily by Ben Doak late-on. AP -
John McGinn 5 – Worked hard throughout the match but had to do much better with his chance in the second half. It looked as though he lost sight of the ball at the back post. Reuters -
Boubacar Kamara 6 – A strong display from Kamara who displayed his passing range on the day. Key in several of Villa’s best chances. PA -
Douglas Luiz 4 - Sloppy in the challenge which saw him commit a number of fouls. PA -
Leon Bailey 4 – Fluffed his lines early-on with a glowing chance for Villa. Struggled in the battle against Andy Robertson. AFP -
Emiliano Buendia 6 – Came in and out of the game in spells, but put in some promising crosses that Liverpool struggled to deal with. AP -
Ollie Watkins 6 – Finally got his goal after he was presented with a number of chances. Had the ball in the back of the net but was marginally offside. Reuters -
SUBS: Leander Dendoncker (Bailey 86') N/A – On for Bailey as part of a late triple substitution. Getty -
Philippe Coutinho (Kamara 86’) N/R – Not enough time for the former Liverpool star make an impact on the game. Reuters -
Danny Ings (Buendia 86’) N/R – Another former Liverpool player, the striker should have been introduced earlier. AP -
LIVERPOOL RATINGS: Alisson 7 – The Brazil international was assured between the posts, but Aston Villa should have done more with their chances from promising areas. Reuters -
Trent Alexander-Arnold 8 – A sublime pass with the outside of his foot was crucial in Liverpool’s opener, with the England international showing all of his quality at Villa Park. Getty -
Joel Matip 6 – Passed the ball out from the back well but could have been more aware on occasions against Watkins’ movement. AFP -
Virgil van Dijk 8 – Read the play well to intervene against Watkins and doubled Liverpool’s lead with a volley from inside the box. PA -
Andy Robertson 8 – A standout performer as Robertson regularly profited from space down the left flank. Made two big chances in the opening five minutes and the second one found Salah who scored. Now holds the record for most assists for a defender in Premier League history with 54. Reuters -
Jordan Henderson 7 – Commanded the midfield well and rarely made the wrong decision. A solid showing from the Liverpool captain. Reuters -
Fabinho 7 – Aggressive in the challenge and made it difficult for Aston Villa to create from central areas. PA -
Thiago Alcantara 6 – Struggled to deal with the rise in intensity from Aston Villa in the second half, and was eventually replaced. EPA -
Mohamed Salah 8 – A goal and an assist for the Liverpool talisman, who looked sharp in the return to Premier League action. AP -
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 6 – A positive performance from Oxlade-Chamberlain who can build on his work against Villa. Worked hard and was unlucky with some of his passes. Reuters -
Darwin Nunez 6 – Missed countless chances but made things happen as usual. His work-rate was vital in Liverpool’s goal that sealed the game, after smashing the ball into a dangerous area. Reuters -
SUBS: Naby Keita (Thiago 66’) 6 - Battled well in midfield. A poor effort on goal saw him blast the ball over the bar. PA -
Harvey Elliott (Oxlade-Chamberlain 66’) 6 – Kept things ticking over when in possession and combined well with Robertson. Getty -
Joe Gomez (Alexander-Arnold 79’) N/R - Faultless when brought on for the final stage of the game. AFP -
Stefan Bajcetic (Henderson 79') 7 – Showed excellent composure to score just two minutes after coming on. EPA -
Ben Doak (Nunez 87’) N/R – On for Nunez in the final minutes in what was a debut for the 17-year-old. Getty
If the stoppage unsettled Villa, it failed to deter the visitors who took the lead once play resumed on five minutes.
Robertson’s corner was only cleared to Trent Alexander-Arnold 40 metres out.
He bent a brilliant pass to Robertson who nipped in ahead of John McGinn and rolled a perfect ball for Salah, who could not miss.
Yet there was still encouragement for Villa with Watkins again escaping the defence to be denied by Alisson before the offside flag was correctly, but belatedly, raised.
Liverpool hardly looked secure at the back and Leon Bailey miscued from 12 metres as Villa Park’s usual frustration raised its head early.
More consternation followed when Watkins’s tame header was easy for Alisson.
The difference was Liverpool’s ruthless quality and they almost had a second after 21 minutes, when Joel Matip headed in Alexander-Arnold’s free kick, only to have strayed fractionally offside.
There was space to exploit at both ends and Nunez twice underlined the point by heading over before seizing on Ezri Konsa’s slice by firing straight at Olsen.
Villa could have been 3-0 down but equally could have been ahead, such was the game’s generous nature, and Salah was next up, dragging wide after half an hour.
Nunez’s movement was causing Villa serious issues and Olsen, who hardly looked convincing deputising for World Cup winner Emi Martinez, turned his low effort wide.
But from the resulting corner, the hosts failed to clear and Salah teed up Van Dijk to rifle in with a small deflection off Konsa.
Nunez should have added a third before the break, instead steering at Olsen from close range, but a two-goal cushion gave the Reds a perfect second-half platform.
It was one which suddenly looked unstable when Watkins drilled into the corner seconds after the restart, but was offside, and McGinn fluffed a stooping header.
Liverpool, though, should have killed the game after 50 minutes when Salah broke quickly from a Villa free kick only for Olsen to deny him.
The Reds needed to calm the game as Villa remained a threat, but they failed and Watkins pulled a goal back after 59 minutes, nodding in Douglas Luiz’s cross.
A frantic match moved up a notch with Villa Park re-energised but the erratic Nunez was the next to miss when, put through by Salah, he dragged woefully wide of the far post with 15 minutes left.
Finally, Liverpool took the sting out of Villa and eventually ended their hopes with nine minutes left, when Bajcetic showed impressive composure to round Olsen and squeeze a shot through Mings’ legs after Nunez’s cross.
