Post-match analysis from BirminghamWorld reporter Charlie Haffenden as Aston Villa lose 2-0 away at Liverpool in the Premier League courtesy of goals from Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah.
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00:00Aston Villa have just suffered a two-nil defeat away at Liverpool in the Premier League.
00:05Title challenges Liverpool, of course, here at Anfield under the lights on a Saturday night.
00:09It was always going to be a very difficult game for Unai Emery's men, who for most parts of this
00:13game actually put up a good account for themselves. Quite competitive in most aspects after a bit of
00:18a shaky 15-minute start. They grew into the game, had a fair bit of possession, had the odd chance
00:23down the other end of the field, but naivety from set pieces is what cost them in the end.
00:29Attacking set pieces at that, having the advantage of being in the attacking third and
00:33coming up against Liverpool, not going to have many chances. So you'd think set pieces would
00:37be the way through and I think maybe Villa thought that would be the case. But in the end,
00:41naive to not leave enough defenders back. Liverpool knew that they could pounce every
00:45time they conceded a set piece and they did so and potentially could have scored three or four
00:49down that avenue. Darwin Nunez was the opening goal scorer here at Anfield,
00:53pouncing on one of those counter-attacks I mentioned. Mohamed Salah was sent through on
00:57goal by Virgil van Dijk, a long clearance over the top. Leon Bailey then tangled with Salah,
01:02potentially lucky not to get a red card for bringing down his man as the last man. Darwin
01:07Nunez picked up the ball, rounded Emiliano Martinez, who probably should have done better
01:11to anticipate that situation, and Nunez smashed it into the goal for 1-0 in the first half.
01:16There probably should have been a penalty for Ollie Watkins later in that half as he was
01:21tumbled over by Ibrahim Ikenate in the Liverpool box. David Koop did have a quick look at the
01:26referee and then VAR as well had a chance to take a second look because Trent Alexander-Arnold was
01:30down injured on the ground, but the officials decided it was best to play on. A controversial
01:35moment there and had that gone the other way maybe Villa could have had a very different result
01:39tonight. But in the second half, Villa did have a fair bit of possession and they tried their hardest
01:45to try and push on and get that equaliser. Went close on a couple of occasions, Morgan Rodgers
01:49missing a good opportunity and then another penalty shot for Paulo Torres in the area,
01:54but then Liverpool ruthless once again on the counter from another Villa set-piece,
02:00going down the other end, one long ball over the top. Diego Carlos failed to deal with it,
02:04heading straight at Mohamed Salah, who then ran through the entire Villa half before dinking it
02:09over Emiliano Martinez, making it 2-0 and securing all three points. I think that's just the way it
02:14goes when you come away to Liverpool. It's such a difficult atmosphere, especially under the lights
02:19on a Saturday night and I think as well just that naivety as I mentioned from the set-pieces.
02:25Had Villa left an extra man back, yes, they wouldn't have had such good opportunities from
02:29their set-pieces, but they would have been in defence better and potentially had they had their
02:33penalties awarded, they could have been the ones ahead. But as it is, it is a 2-0 defeat away at
02:39Liverpool. It's a fourth straight loss in all competitions, of course, losing to Crystal
02:43Palace in the Carabao Cup, losing to Club Bruges in the Champions League as well. Villa down to
02:48wait, but still so long to go. An international break as well to recoup some energy, then they go
02:53again and try and get back into that top four.