Szoboszlai and Salah on target as Liverpool ease past Aston Villa

Were it not for the significant distraction of Saudi riches being thrown the way of Mohamed Salah, Jürgen Klopp would head into the international break with supreme optimism over the present and future of Liverpool. His remodelled team impressed yet again in a dominant destruction of Aston Villa with Salah, almost inevitably, putting the gloss on a comfortable victory.

Unai Emery’s visitors arrived at Anfield in confident form but were second best throughout against a commanding and tireless Liverpool performance. Dominik Szoboszlai opened the scoring inside three minutes and Villa never threatened a response. An own goal from Matty Cash plus a second-half tap-in from Salah, the subject of a continued pursuit from the Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad, maintained Liverpool’s stylish and unbeaten start to the new campaign in the 300th league game of Klopp’s reign.

Darwin Núñez was rewarded for his match-winning heroics at Newcastle last Sunday with a first start of the season. The Uruguay international and Liverpool started where they left off at St James’ Park; on the front foot, pressing relentlessly and constantly unsettling the opposition defence. And with the added bonus of doing so with eleven men. Villa looked slow and confused by comparison.

The hosts were ahead when the new favourite of Liverpool’s midfield, Szoboszlai, swept home his first goal for the club and the 900th scored under Klopp in all competitions. It arrived from a Trent Alexander-Arnold corner, conceded by Pau Torres after the dawdling Villa defender had been dispossessed inside his own area by Salah. The set-piece sailed through a crowded goalmouth towards Szoboszlai, lurking unmarked outside the box, who connected with a beautiful first time drive that flew inside the stranded Emiliano Martínez’s left-hand post.

Villa were under siege, finding no outlets, and suffered another early setback when Diego Carlos hobbled off injured. The unfortunate defender missed most of last season with a ruptured achilles tendon and required lengthy treatment before exiting down the tunnel. Emery responded positively, introducing another attacking option in Leon Bailey and returning Cash to right-back. The same could not be said of his team.

Within two minutes of the substitution Villa were two down. The manner in which the visitors conceded may have been unfortunate but their high line was exposed yet again when Alexander-Arnold released Salah with a floated ball over the top. The coveted Egyptian touched the pass inside to Núñez who cannoned a shot against the post from close range. Cash could do nothing about a rebound that smacked against his shins and sailed into his own net.

There was a brief, belated spell of pressure from the visitors when John McGinn blazed over and Bailey made a mess of finishing off a flowing move involving Douglas Luiz and Lucas Digne. But Liverpool remained dominant otherwise, and would have been out of sight by the interval had Joël Matip not sent a free header wide from an Alexander-Arnold free-kick or Núñez’s deft chip over Martínez not hit the bar. This time Cash cleared the rebound the right way, heading off the line before Luis Díaz could convert.

Considering Liverpool were without first choice centre-halves Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté through suspension and injury respectively the sunny Sunday stroll could not have gone much better for Klopp’s side. An injury to Alexander-Arnold was the only defensive blot on their afternoon. Joe Gomez and Matip comfortably subdued Ollie Watkins while Alisson denied Cash with a fine save when Villa did create a chance for a consolation. The substitute Bailey headed straight down the tunnel when he was replaced by Nicolo Zaniolo.

By then it was three goals and three points safely secured by Liverpool. At the end of a week when Liverpool rejected £150m for his services, and ahead of a week that could bring an even higher offer from Saudi Arabia, Salah inevitably had the decisive touch. Núñez flicked an Andy Robertson corner to the back post where Salah sprinted in ahead of Digne to convert from close range. It was the 150th game in which Salah has scored for Liverpool. Anfield waits with bated breath to discover if there will be a 151st.