London: Liverpool extended its lead at the top of the Premier League to five points, securing a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday. Darwin Nunez opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a clinical finish following a rapid counter-attack, while Mohamed Salah sealed the win in the 84th minute, sprinting clear to score and maintain Liverpool's sensational start under new manager Arne Slot.
Liverpool's goalkeeper, Caoimhin Kelleher, made key saves to keep Villa at bay, and with this win, Liverpool has now won 15 out of 17 matches in all competitions since Slot replaced Juergen Klopp. Slot's side sits comfortably at the top with 28 points from 11 games, while reigning champions Manchester City remain five points behind with 23.
Elsewhere, Fulham climbed to seventh place after a 2-0 win against Crystal Palace, with Emile Smith Rowe and Harry Wilson scoring for the visitors. Palace was reduced to 10 men after Daichi Kamada’s red card for a dangerous tackle. Brentford also came from behind to beat Bournemouth 3-2, moving into the top half of the table thanks to Yoane Wissa’s double.
Wolverhampton Wanderers secured their first win of the season with a 2-0 triumph over Southampton, while West Ham United and Everton played out a lackluster 0-0 draw at the London Stadium.
In contrast, Manchester City suffered their fourth consecutive loss, falling 2-1 to Brighton, the first time Pep Guardiola has overseen such a streak in 16 years.
Chelsea will face Arsenal today, with both teams vying for crucial points in the title race.
With IANS inputs