Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa result - Premier League recap as The Reds triumph thanks to Ryan Gravenberch strike and landmark Mohamed Salah goal

Liverpool secured their first Premier League victory in six weeks as Mohamed Salah netted his 250th goal for The Reds and Ryan Gravenberch marked his return to the starting XI with a goal against Aston Villa.

Despite threatening in the opening quarter of the game, it was a hugely disappointing performance from Aston Villa as their two-month league unbeaten run was ended in a whimper and Unai Emery’s side never looked like getting into the contest after Salah’s opener.

Moments after Hugo Ekitike had a goal rightly ruled out for offside, a disastrous Emiliano Martinez pass inside first-half stoppage time was picked off by Salah and he became only the third Liverpool player to score 250 goals with his first-time finish.

Emery’s side had cleaved Liverpool open at times early on and Morgan Rogers hit a post, but the tactic began giving The Reds more and more opportunities and Dominik Szoboszlai had fired a warning shot when he wasted a one-on-one earlier in the half.

Then Gravenberch ensured the three points were safe when his shot from distance took a heavy deflection off Pau Torres past a bamboozled Martinez to give Liverpool the perfect lift ahead of taking on Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.

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On Sunday the FA Cup first round continues, before the UEFA Champions League takes centre stage this Tuesday and Wednesday including Manchester City hosting Borussia Dortmund.

The disappointment over Ekitike's disallowed goal didn't last long before this strike...

Liverpool are Premier League winners for the first time since September! The fans sang Bob Marley's Three Little Birds, and it was a performance that was more than alright as Mamardashvili kept his first clean sheet since taking over from the injured Alisson and Mo Salah scored his 250th game for the club.

The former England centre-back walks down the tunnel with an injury and with Emery having used up all of his substitutes, Villa are down to 10 men.

And Liverpool look more likely to score as they break from a Villa corner and Salah is close to grabbing his second.

Aston Villa won't get anything out of this match. Sancho and Maatsen runs are halted and really the Villans have struggled to produce more than one or two clear cut chances this half.

As a Sancho shot flies harmlessly past Mamardashvili's goal, here is how Liverpool got into such a comfortable position...

Rogers was fantastic in the first-half but couldn't turn that into a goal and now looks forlorn as he's booked for backchat.

Emery's made his final change, bringing on Ian Maatsen for Lucas Digne and the Dutchman is immediately looking bright in the final third.

But the substitution that brings Anfield to its feet is Florian Wirtz replacing Ekitike, who had the ball in the net earlier and has been threatening once again.

And in a stunning turn of events, the referee blows for a foul in that shoving back and Liverpool get off scot-free.

Emery has seen enough and makes his third and fourth changes, introducing Jadon Sancho and Tyrone Mings for Ollie Watkins and Pau Torres.

Cash wins a corner for Villa and at least eight players are on the goal line in a shoving match before Mac Allister hits the ground holding his face after contact with Onana.

Onana didn't look like he was looking at Mac Allister but still shoved him in the throat and is booked.

Villa break quickly upfield and Barkley finds Malen on the right wing with space to take the shot.

His well-hit effort sails wide by a yard or two but that could be the jolt Villa need to grow back into the game.

And just before that Gravenberch goal, Matty Cash became the first Villa player to see yellow tonight.

It's the much vaunted 'most dangerous scoreline in football' for Liverpool (which is a load of rubbish, being 9-0 down is obviously more dangerous) but Villa have to score next.

On TNT Sports commentary, Darren Fletcher asks Lucy Ward if Slot should start thinking about resting players ahead of facing Real Madrid on Tuesday in the UEFA Champions League but that feels pretty premature right now.

And if you were wondering, Trent Alexander-Arnold started on the bench for Los Blancos tonight, they're currently 3-0 up against Valencia.

There's a heartbreaking shot of Emery standing with Donyell Malen waiting to send the Dutchman on as the goal goes in, but he has completed the change now for Guessand while ex-Toffee Ross Barkley replaces McGinn.

Liverpool double their lead! And it the first goal was all about Villa brainlessness, tat's desperately unlucky for the visitors.

Pau Torres hoofs the ball up from the back and Liverpool intercept, shuffling it back to Gravenberch who drives at the defence.

With the back four backpedalling, the Dutchman opens fire from range and a big deflection of Torres means Martinez had no chance.

Van Dijk trips Rogers as he looks to switch the play and becomes the first player to be yellow-carded tonight.

Watkins chases a loose ball and is close to latching onto it for the first Villa chance of the half, but not close enough.

Then at the other end, Gakpo and Salah combine well to produce an opportunity for Bradley to open fire, but the Egyptian was offside and Martinez saves well anyway.

Liverpool have a shot blocked but it's been a pretty sluggish start to the half especially in comparison to the first 45 minutes.