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John Townley's Aston Villa player ratings after encouraging performance in 2-0 Liverpool defeat
Aston Villa have suffered four straight defeats for the first time under Unai Emery after losing 2-0 to Liverpool at Anfield.
Darwin Nunez opened the scoring in the 20th minute, before Mohamed Salah doubled the host's lead in the 84th minute. Despite falling to successive league defeats for the first time in 18 months, Villa can take pride from their performance against the Premier League and Champions League leaders.
Villa headed into the match on the back of a 1-0 defeat at Club Brugge in midweek, which followed losses against Tottenham in the Premier League and Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup. They were beginning to grow into the game just before Liverpool took the lead by catching them short at the back after a corner.
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Jacob Ramsey didn’t get enough contact on the ball in the box as he tried to play the ball back out wide, before Virgil van Dijk hooked the ball over the top for Salah to chase. Leon Bailey did enough to stop Salah from racing in on goal, but the ball fell for Nunez, who took it wide of Martinez and finished in front of The Kop.
Minutes after falling behind, Villa were aggrieved that they weren’t awarded a penalty as Ibrahima Konate bundled Ollie Watkins over in the box. Referee David Coote awarded a free-kick to Liverpool after adjudging Watkins to have dived.
Villa could have fallen two goals behind when they were once again caught out at the back following a corner at the other end. Nunez was unable to double his and the Reds’ advantage by firing the ball over the bar from inside the box.
Emery’s side were causing problems before half-time as Caoimhin Kelleher made two saves from successive corners to deny Amadou Onana and Diego Carlos. Villa started the second half like they ended the first as Morgan Rogers had a big chance to level the game up, but he pulled an effort wide of the far corner.
Villa were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty in the 56th minute when Conor Bradley clearly tugged at Pau Torres’ shirt as Digne swung in his delivery. They piled on the pressure in the latter stages of the contest, but were picked off on another counter-attack as Salah scored his eighth league goal of the campaign.
Villa will host Crystal Palace on Saturday, November 23 after the international break.
Player ratings
Emi Martinez
Martinez did as best as he could to make it harder for Nunez to score his goal in the 20th minute, but the Uruguayan still managed to beat him in a one on one. The Villa goalkeeper was then beaten late on by Salah. 6
Ezri Konsa
Konsa continued at right-back while Matty Cash continues to nurse a calf injury. He competed well against Luis Diaz, who has been in sensational form having scored a hat-trick on Tuesday night. 7
Diego Carlos
Carlos performed well alongside Torres this evening. He competed well against Nunez, who wants to scrap and fight for every ball. The Liverpool striker will always get chances because of his movement and his desire to get on the end of things. 7
Pau Torres
Torres returned to the starting side as Tyrone Mings dropped to the bench. He made an important clearance from Andy Robertson's cross at a crucial time in the game, just before the break. 7
Lucas Digne
Digne's task was to keep a lid on arguably the best winger in world football right now in Salah. He performed well until being replaced later in the second half and put in two top deliveries which Villa really should have taken advantage of. Digne helped support the attack, allowing Ramsey to come inside the pitch and either combine or gets shots away in the first period. 7
Amadou Onana
Onana was brilliant in the double pivot, winning duels and regaining possession. He came close to scoring before half-time when he headed towards goal from Digne's corner. 7
Youri Tielemans
Tielemans is currently dealing with a knee pain, but was able to feature from the off this evening. He will be resting over the international break after he withdrew from the Belgium national team squad. As ever, Tielemans was assured on the ball and used it well. He completed 90 per cent of the passes he attempted and won six ground duels. 7
Leon Bailey
Struggling for confidence, Bailey was visibly frustrated on the pitch when things didn't go his way. He is an important player in the team because he bring balance to the structure and also adds pace on the break. It wasn't his day. 5
Jacob Ramsey
Ramsey came back into the starting XI and operated off the left. He had Villa's first chance of the game when he ran at Alexander-Arnold, cut inside and fired towards goal, but his effort was blocked by Gravenberch. He didn't get enough contact on the ball which allowed Liverpool to hit Villa on the counter and then came off injured before half-time. 6
Morgan Rogers
Rogers had a brilliant chance to equalise for Villa just after the second half started, but he got his finish all wrong. Konate struggled at times to deal with Rogers' power and physicality. So hard to dispossess when he gets going, but his final ball was lacking. 6
Ollie Watkins
Watkins played with confidence tonight and got plenty of shots off. He was unfortunate to be replaced on the hour mark by Jhon Duran as he was causing problems for Van Dijk. 7
SUBS
John McGinn (for Ramsey, 45'): The captain operated from the left and helped Digne in a defensive capacity as Bradley was quick to make himself an option for Salah on the right flank. 6
Jhon Duran (for Watkins, 64'): Duran had one sight of goal when he tried to get on the end of a cross from the left wing. Van Dijk dealt with him well. 6
Jaden Philogene (for Bailey, 64'): Philogene got in a few promising positions, but lacked conviction at the critical moment We know he is capable of getting shots away and making things happen, but like Bailey he is also lacking some confidence.. 6
Ian Maatsen (for Digne, 75'): N/A
Boubacar Kamara (for Onana, 75'): N/A
Subs not used: Olsen, Bogarde, Mings, Buendia.
GOALS
Liverpool: Nunez (20'), Salah (84)
Aston Villa: N/A
