Stefan Bajcetic seals hard-fought win for Liverpool over Aston Villa

After spending much of the last six weeks playing on the training pitch at Al Wakrah Sports Complex, it took Trent Alexander-Arnold just five minutes to make his mark on his return from the World Cup and send Liverpool on their way to a third successive Premier League victory.

With players rushing out of the penalty area after a cleared corner, the Liverpool full-back was the only person at Villa Park who saw Andrew Robertson’s run behind Aston Villa’s defence. And only Alexander-Arnold could find the pass, executed with the outside of his boot to offer enough fade to land the ball on his team-mate’s toes.

Robertson set a new Premier League record for assists by crossing for Mohamed Salah, the 54th time he has set up a team-mate, but the goal was all about Alexander-Arnold’s vision. “It was a sensational goal,” was Jurgen Klopp’s verdict.

Klopp had not experienced Christmas outside the Champions League places since his first season at Liverpool and his players are taking strides towards getting back to the top table.

Virgil van Dijk added a second goal before a mid-game wobble, where they allowed Ollie Watkins to pull a goal back. But victory was sealed with Stefan Bajcetic, 18, scoring his first senior goal after coming off the bench.

It showed the two sides to Liverpool’s back line this season. On one hand, creating attacking angles that stretches opponents to breaking point. On the other, they looked susceptible to pressure themselves, with Watkins getting room to operate down the middle. Earlier in the campaign victory may have slipped from their grasp, which is why Klopp seemed so pleased with the outcome.

“I loved it,” he said. “It was a difficult game, we were not superior in all moments. We lost rhythm in an intense game and it is difficult to come back but I loved the start in the first half, that was exactly what we wanted.”

Klopp insisted there was no need to lift Alexander-Arnold after the World Cup as his full-back never expected to play in all games. He was limited to 33 minutes against Wales, when victory had been secured, and played like he was taking out his frustrations on Villa with his killer pass for the opener.

Robertson barely had to work for his record-breaking assist, drawing him level with Eden Hazard and Mesut Ozil in the all-time list and one behind Paul Scholes. His pass set up Salah to draw level with Kenny Dalglish on 172 goals for the club.

“I am not so much into stats but what came in my mind with Robbo is the boy we bought from Hull, we knew we had exceptional talent but personality and character makes the player you can be,” said Klopp.

“He was a real talent offensively but defensively he was not the player he could be, he came in my office after not playing so much and I said you have to change. He is a proper defender and still sets up goals. It is a great number, crazy, and really special and the same for Mo. It is crazy, if you are mentioned in the same sentence as Kenny Dalglish you did something right.”

Van Dijk stabbed in for the second goal after Villa failed to clear a corner, but Liverpool could have been out of sight had Darwin Nunez taken his chances in front of goal. The Uruguay striker was given the man-of-the-match award but it looked an act of encouragement for him to keep going after a series of missed opportunities.

He eventually set up Bajcetic to seal the win, with Liverpool fans singing his name despite his misses.

“We are human beings, it is not as though he can close his eyes and they go in,” said Klopp. “The scoring in the beginning is not important, so many things are more important. We are completely calm, I really love our third goal, after the game he had where he just missed, he could have just hammered the ball.

“The work rate he put in, the depth he creates for us, he is pretty much unstoppable, There is no defender who can catch up speed wise. He played an exceptional game.”

Villa could not add to their two victories so far under new manager Unai Emery, who felt his team were in the game when they pulled a goal back just after the break when Watkins steered in a header from Douglas Luiz’s cross.

“We had a great effort and the result was so hard for us,” said Emery. “We created chances, we didn’t score and to concede two goals from set pieces is not normal because we are working hard on them.

“The last 15 minutes in the first half after their second goal we didn’t react like I wanted. I want to be optimistic, I am disappointed and a bit angry but the attitude was amazing from the players. I know we have to learn and add more things, tactically, for the step up I want to do.”

Aston Villa vs Liverpool – as it happened

07:56 PM

Some post-match stats from Opta

• Liverpool have won three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since winning their final three games of the 2021-22 campaign.

• Mohamed Salah both scored and assisted in this game for Liverpool, taking his totals to 125 goals and 50 assists for the club in the Premier League. He is only the second player with 50+ goals and 50+ assists for Liverpool in the competition, along with Steven Gerrard (120 goals, 92 assists).

• Salah scored his 55th away Premier League goal for Liverpool; the joint most of any Reds player, level with Michael Owen. Since the start of 2017-18, only Harry Kane (62) has more away Premier League goals than Salah.

• Stefan Bajcetic scored his first Premier League goal for Liverpool; aged 18 years and 65 days, he is their third youngest Premier League scorer, behind only Michael Owen (17y 143d) and Raheem Sterling (17y 317d). He's the second youngest Spaniard to score in the Premier League, behind only Cesc Fàbregas in 2004 (17y 113d).

• Ben Doak came off the bench for Liverpool to make his Premier League debut aged 17 years and 45 days, becoming the youngest ever Scottish player in the competition’s history, overtaking Nigel Quashie in 1995 for Queens Park Rangers (17 years, 163 days).

07:54 PM

Jurgen Klopp speaks...

On the win...

On having to hold off Villa's second-half charge...

On the first goal and TAA's pass...

On the effort needed after the break...

On Nunez's performance...

On young gun Bajcetic...

07:43 PM

Andy Robertson speaks...

On the win...

On the performance...

On becoming the defender with the most assists in Premier League history...

07:32 PM

Liverpool have leapfrogged Brighton

To move into sixth place on 25 points.

07:29 PM

Young, Spanish and talented

07:29 PM

Here's how Liverpool made sure of the three points

07:26 PM

FULL-TIME: Aston Villa 1-3 Liverpool

That's it at Villa Park - Liverpool were under the cosh for a bit at the start of the second half but held their nerve to get the vital third goal and end as deserved winners.

That's just the start Klopp would have wanted after the World Cup break.

07:23 PM

90 mins: Aston Villa 1-3 Liverpool

You can see why he's so highly rated Doak show a lovely bit of skill on the right to turn his man before getting in a cross that is deflected for a corner.

07:22 PM

Bajcetic's winner

Don't think  I am being too presumptuous by writing that...

07:21 PM

87 mins: Aston Villa 1-3 Liverpool

Final change for Liverpool.

Nunez is off (for all his misses he has played well today...) for highly thought of 17 year old, Ben Doak.

07:18 PM

85 mins: Aston Villa 1-3 Liverpool

Dendoncker, Coutinho and Ings comes for the hosts (the latter two former Liverpool players). Bailey, Buendia and Kamara are the men to make way.

Think I am not being too perceptive when I say this is a case of too little, too late for Villa.

07:13 PM

GOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLL!!!

Aston Villa 1-3 Liverpool (Bajcetic) 

Game over.

For all his misses in front of goal Nunez never gives up and runs for everything and this is Exhibit A in that argument. The Uruguayan chases the ball on the left when others may have given up. He then puts in a low cross that Olsen parries into the path of Stefan Bajcetic who skips past the keeper, before staying composed and slotting home. The teenager has just come on and made an instant impact.

07:11 PM

79 mins: Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool

More changes for Liverpool - Henderson and TAA are replaced by Bajcetic and Gomez

07:11 PM

77 mins: Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool

Liverpool soak up the Villa pressure and then break at speed - which is the worry for the hosts at the moment. Salah finds Nunez and the Uruguayan is in on goal. He pins back his ears and runs in on goal before pulling a left-foot shot wide of goal. His effort and movement earns him a lot of chances and that's good to see BUT he's a striker and the real stat that counts is goals scored and so far he hasn't been the composed finisher you would want him to be. He's young though and learning...

07:07 PM

76 mins: Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool

Liverpool have just taken the heat out of Villa's second-half renaissance. They're defending well and in numbers and the hosts are struggling to create what they really need: a clear-cut opportunity.

07:05 PM

74 mins: Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool

Goalkeepers are over protected these days. Alisson is barely touched by Watkins as he misjudges a punch out for a corner and the ref gives a free kick to the Liverpool stopper...

07:03 PM

71 mins: Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool

Corner for Liverpool - it goes long before Salah sets up new man Keita whose shot goes high, wide and not so handsome.

Meanwhile here's a good pic of Watkins' goal.

07:00 PM

68 mins: Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool

Liverpool just need to play a bit of keep-ball at the moment and take the fizz out of Villa in the process.

06:59 PM

Awesome Ollie

06:59 PM

66 mins: Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool

The Ox (AOC) makes way for Harvey Elliott and Thiago is off for Naby Keita as Klopp seeks to impose his side on Villa in the way they did in the first 45 minutes.

06:57 PM

63 mins: Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool

Villa are constantly asking questions of this Liverpool defence - they are dominating possession and passing the ball around well. The visitor's box is under constant threat but Van Dijk and Co are defending well with Villa unable to fashion that vital, clear-cut chance.

06:55 PM

60 mins: Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool

Liverpool haven't found the same gear they were operating on in the first half and it's Villa dominating now. As I type Watkins charges towards the visitors' box before he is well tackled. The home fans are now in fine voice.

06:51 PM

GOOOOOOAAAALLL!!!!

Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool (Watkins) 

It's been coming and Watkins gets one back with a fine header.

They have had enough chances since the break and this one finds the back of the net. Bailey missed a great opportunity about a minute earlier but Watkins makes no mistake with this one. The ball is crossed from the right and while backpedalling he guides a brilliant header into the far corner.

Game very much back on.

06:49 PM

55 mins: Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool

Amazon Prime's coverage goes AWOL for about a minute before it returns - phew!

I think/hope we didn't miss too much/anything.

06:46 PM

53 mins: Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool

Villa are seeing plenty of the ball but as they go in search of a goal are looking prone to being caught out by a Liverpool counter attack.

06:45 PM

50 mins: Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool

The half is only five minutes old but so far it's belonged to Villa, that is until now - they have a free kick on the right that is well headed away by Thiago. Salah then latches onto it and the Egyptian does his best Roadrunner impression - head down and running in on goal from well inside his own half. The run ends with a low shot that Olsen does well to save with his feet. This half has picked up where the first period ended.

06:41 PM

48 mins: Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool

This has been a good, bright start to the second period by Villa, Buendia is found by Digne in the inside-left channel in the box and his first-time shot is just wide.

06:40 PM

47 mins: Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool

It looks as though it's just the start to the second half Villa wanted as Ollie Watkins runs through a gap that a jumbo jet could fly through. He's played in and is through on goal before firing a low shot past Alisson. BUT he's offside and that judgement is confirmed by the video boffins at Stockley Park. Promising and frustrating in equal measure for the hosts.

06:38 PM

45 mins: Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool

They're back under way at Villa Park - can the hosts find a way back in this?

06:36 PM

Here's a 'the boy's a bit useful' stat

06:23 PM

HALF TIME: Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool

That is the end of a breathless first half - only the two goals when six could have easily been scored. Villa have had enough of the hatful chances to convince themselves they're still in this but Liverpool are deservedly in charge.

06:20 PM

47 mins: Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool

It should be 3-0 to Liverpool and it's Nunez again with the chance and again with the miss when he should have found the back of the net.

TAA puts in a free kick from the right, the ball bounces just in front of the Liverpool striker but he hits a feeblish shot at Olsen in the Villa goal. He was, this time, onside.

06:17 PM

45 mins: Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool

There will be three minutes added time at Villa Park - this grand old setting for what has been so far a pulsating match.

06:17 PM

Van Dijk doubles Liverpool's lead

06:15 PM

43 mins: Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool

No Villa manager has ever won his first three league games in charge - and it's now an uphill struggle to Emery to change that stat today.

06:13 PM

40 mins: Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool

It's 2-0 to the visitors but this could easily be 6-4. But on the run of play it's a deserved lead for Klopp's side.

The key for Villa is to not concede another before the break - with the chances they've created they're still in this.

06:09 PM

GOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLL!

Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool (Van Dijk) 

From the resulting set piece Liverpool create a bit of havoc and Villa cannot clear the danger. The ball fall to Van Dijk on the edge of the six-yard box on the left0hand side and he volleys with ease and nonchalance into the far corner.

06:09 PM

35 mins: Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool

Nunez is a busy boy - he cuts in from the right before unleashing a low shot that is saved by Olsen before Mings deflects the rebound way from the lurking Salah for a corner. Did I say this was a great match to watch?!

06:07 PM

31 mins: Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool

Salah plays in Nunez down the left - the striker runs in on goal and instead of having an attempt at goal pulls the ball across for Robertson at the back post. But the ball is intercepted before it can find the full-back.

Nunez, not for the first time tonight, was offside but while you can say that's a bit naive of him, he's not offside by much and you fancy he'll time one these runs well sooner rather than later...

06:02 PM

28 mins: Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool

This is crazy football...Villa have an appeal for penalty turned down as Digne goes over in the Liverpool box, then five seconds later Nunez is volleying a ball from out of the sky (after an misjudged up and under from Konsa) at the legs of the onrushing Olsen. Keep on writing this, but the Uruguayan should have done better there.

The replay of the penalty shout shows the ref got it right - it was a bit of clumsy challenge by TAA but not worthy of a spotkick.

05:58 PM

25 mins: Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool

Yet another chance for Liverpool, yet another miss from Nunez and yet another attempt that would have been ruled offside had it found the back of the net.

Robertson -  yep, him again - crosses from the left and the Liverpool striker heads wide. He does get a fair few chances and should find the target more often.

05:56 PM

24 mins: Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool

Corner for Liverpool - Robertson delivers from the right but Konsa shows no fear to clear the danger away and earn a free kick in the process.

05:54 PM

21 mins: Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool

This could so easily be 2-2 at the moment. There's a real menace about Liverpool when they attack and, on the flip side, Villa are creating more than their fair share of chances at the other end.

05:53 PM

19 mins: Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool

No sooner had I posted that assist record stat for Robertson than the Scot nearly had another one - his free kick from the left headed into the back of the net by Matip BUT Villa defended a high line and the Liverpool man was offside.

05:51 PM

Assist king

05:50 PM

16 mins: Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool

This is end-to-end stuff and so good to watch.

McGinn has the ball on the right flank. The Scot comes back onto his left - as you'd expect - and he puts in a peach of a curling cross to the back post where Watkins meets it with a diving header that Alisson saves well.

05:48 PM

So simple for Salah

05:47 PM

12 mins: Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool

This is a fine match so far - great work from Watkins and Buendia sees Bailey with the ball at his feet near the penalty spot - but the forward lashes at it and looks more like Bambi on ice than a Premier League goalscorer and the chance comes and goes in the blink of an eye.

Villa may be behind, but they're creating chances here.

05:44 PM

Sit back and enjoy this goal

05:42 PM

9 mins: Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool

TAA is reminding everyone of how good he is in possession - he plays another peach of a pass for AOC who cannot bring the ball under control.

05:41 PM

8 mins: Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool

Just the start Klopp's side wanted - but Villa started the brighter and since that Salah goal have had a couple of chances - Bailey forcing a regulation save from Alisson.

05:37 PM

GOOOOOAAAAAALLLL!!!

Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool (Salah) 

Mings eventually gets up and it's a corner for Liverpool - can they make this count?

Yes they can!

Villa clear away the initial threat, but the ball falls to TAA some 30 yards out. He could easily just put it back in the mixer but this boy is a bit special and hits it first time with the outside of the boot right into the path of his fellow full-back Robertson, on the right in the box, who hits it low first time to Salah at the back post and the Egyptian King taps in without any fuss whatsoever. Simple and brilliant.

05:35 PM

2 mins: Aston Villa 0-0 Liverpool

Early chance for Watkins who forces his way into a gap before hitting it low at goal - it's an easy save for Alisson.

The ball then goes to the other end of the pitch and it's a great chance for Liverpool! Robertson crosses from the left and Nunez, for some inexplicable reason, decides to dummy rather than shoot and the chance goes begging. Had that fallen to Salah you can bet your bottom Egyptian pound that he would have shot.

Meanwhile, Mings has collided with Olsen and the defender is down.

05:32 PM

1 min: Aston Villa 0-0 Liverpool

After a minute's applause for 1966 World Cup winner George Cohen they're under way at the fabulous old Villa Park stadium - the hosts in their traditional claret and blue and Liverpool in the less traditional green away strip.

05:27 PM

The players are on the pitch

And we're moments away from kick-off.

Both sides could do with a win and will want one to kickstart this return to top-flight action.

05:26 PM

There's already been a fair bit of chat about Emi Martinez's antics

The Amazon Prime pundits - Gabby Agbonlahor and Steve Mcmanaman - basically agree that he lets himself down...

Anyway, here's his non World Cup winning replacement, Robin Olsen. If Villa win will he tape Salah's face to a doll? Somehow, I doubt it...

05:21 PM

More from Love Actually fan Klopp...

On the aims for the rest of the season...

On tonight's opponents...

05:19 PM

Jurgen Klopp likes Love Actually - yikes!

Jurgen Klopp is a fine man but lets himself down by admitting he likes Love Actually but, thankfully he offsets that huge faux pas by admitting he also likes Home Alone...

Anyway here's what he had to say about this evening's match.

On the break...

On the defeat to Man City...

On playing AOC with his contract coming to an end in summer...

05:03 PM

Liverpool are 'in the building'

Always good to see - wouldn't be much of a game if one of the sides didn't turn up...

04:54 PM

Return of more World Cup protagonists

Klopp has named six changes to the side that lost to Man City in the Carabao Cup on Thursday. England duo Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold return along with Brazil keeper Alisson, Holland defender Virgil Van Dijk, Brazilian Fabinho and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. James Milner doesn't make the bench having been injured in that defeat to their arch-rivals.

For Villa, penalty-saver supreme, World Cup winner and chief mischief maker Emi Martinez isn't taking part - still celebrating that memorable win last week. Robin Olsen starts in goal in the place of the Argentine, with the one surprise being the presence of Danny Ings on the bench despite his four goals in five of his past Premier League appearances.

04:43 PM

The two XIs

ASTON VILLA XI TO FACE LIVERPOOL: Olsen, Ashley Young, Konsa, Mings, Digne, McGinn, Kamara, Douglas Luiz, Bailey, Buendia, Watkins. Subs: Cash, Ings, Chambers, Bednarek, Coutinho, Dendoncker, Archer, Marshall, Kaden Young.

LIVERPOOL XI TO FACE ASTON VILLA: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago, Salah, Nunez, Oxlade-Chamberlain. Subs: Gomez, Keita, Elliott, Tsimikas, Carvalho, Bajcetic, Phillips, Doak, Kelleher.

Referee: Paul Tierney (Lancashire)

04:35 PM

Liverpool looking for green shoots of hope

They may have lost 3-2 to Manchester City last Thursday but there were plenty of signs to suggest that the campaign will go better for Liverpool after the break than it did before it. There were hints of the old high-pressing side that has, along with City, dominated the top flight for the past few seasons, rather than the outfit that looked limp and tired before the Qatar World Cup.

After the Carabao Cup defeat a smiling Jurgen Klopp was upbeat regards the coming few weeks,.

"It was a high intensity game, that's normal for these teams. We played a good game but not good enough to beat City," he said. "We weren't on top of our game tonight but there is a lot we can build on and take into the upcoming games and that's what we'll do."

Liverpool went into the World Cup hiatus with two well-earned wins over Southampton and Tottenham and back to within touching distance of the top four - the very least the club would have had in mind at the start of the season. They return to Premier League action this evening against Aston Villa still adapting to new manager Unai Emery. Tonight's hosts won three of their last four matches before the break and the new manager said he tried to use the 'holiday' to install more of his plans and ideas.

"This break has come a little bit different, but we used it to work together, travel to Dubai and practice tactics, tactical issues eventually," Emery said.  "The friendly matches we played were not important with the result at the end but I don't like to lose.

"The most important thing is now, how we can use this little pre-season or something similar and on Monday, I will expect our best performance.

"The atmosphere in Villa Park has been amazing to connect with our fans and we have to be connecting on the pitch as well.

"With our new way, our style, identity, I want to show the supporters the capacity we can work to and achieve."

Stay here for all the team news and action with kick-off set for 5.30.