Liverpool beat Aston Villa to go five points clear at top of Premier League
Nunez & Salah score to give Reds comfortable win
Brighton earlier came from behind to earn stunning 2-1 win over Man City
Guardiola has suffered four successive defeats for first time as City boss
Other results: Brentford 3-2 Bournemouth, Fulham 2-0 Crystal Palace, West Ham 0-0 Everton, Wolves 2-0 Southampton
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Brighton 0-1 Man City
Steve Sidwell
Former Aston Villa and Brighton midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live
He got it all wrong, he has to score. It's a great ball from Van Hecke, he's onside. His first touch is exemplary. Ederson comes out and spreads himself well.
Pedro will be really disappointed he's not even hit the target.
Brighton 0-1 Man City
Brighton are dominating.
Kaoru Mitoma breaks into the penalty area but Ederson is down quickly to smother and sniff out the attack.
Brighton are soon on the attack again though and Joao Pedro gets in behind the City defence. He's through on goal but drags an effort wide.
There's a check for a push in the back by Kyle Walker but the VAR doesn't think it warrants anything.
Image source, Getty ImagesBrighton 0-1 Man City
Most of Brighton's chances at the moment are coming from Manchester City mistakes.
Kyle Walker gives the ball away tamely in midfield and that allows Brighton to break. Danny Welbeck's ball is behind Brajan Gruda, though.
They rebuild and a cross from the left drifts over all the City defence but Welbeck's touch is loose and Ederson collects.
Brighton 0-1 Man City
That will be Georginio Rutter's last contribution.
He and Simon Adingra make away for Joao Pedro and Brajan Gruda.
Brighton 0-1 Man City
This game hangs in the balance.
Kaoru Mitoma does well to spin Kyle Walker and lay off for Pervis Estupinan to cross.
Georginio Rutter gets there but his header loops comfortably over the bar.
Brighton 0-1 Man City
Steve Sidwell
Former Aston Villa and Brighton midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live
Two names stand out on the City bench - Kevin de Bruyne and Bernado Silva. What a game it could be for them to come on.
They both can pick out a pass or split a defence which could lead to the vital second goal.
Brighton 0-1 Man City
Man City are enjoying a good little spell.
Matheus Nunes does really well to skip past a tackle and drive to the byline but his cross is blocked.
They quickly win the ball back, though, and Savinho is one-on-one with Pervis Estupinan again, but he curls an effort comfortably wide.
Liverpool v Aston Villa (20:00 GMT)
Liverpool make two changes as Darwin Nunez and Andy Robertson return to the first XI. Cody Gakpo and Kostas Tsimikas are the two to drop to tge bench.
Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Nunez, Diaz.
Subs: Jaros, Gomez, Endo, Szoboszlai, Gakpo, Tsimikas, Quansah, Morton, Bradley
There's four changes for Aston Villa withPau Torres, Jacob Ramsey, Amadou Onana and Lucas Digne returning to the first XI.
Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Konsa, Diego Carlos, Pau, Digne; Onana, Tielemans; Bailey, Rogers, Ramsey; Watkins.
Subs: Olsen, Mings, Maatsen, Bogarde, Kamara, McGinn, Buendia, Philogene, Durán.
Brighton 0-1 Man City
Steve Sidwell
Former Aston Villa and Brighton midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live
Good to see O'Riley back. It was a horror tackle on him against Crawley that ruled him out for so long.
Two of Brighton's midfielders have gone off now so it's interesting. They will have to try and regain their balance.
Brighton 0-1 Man City
The visitors manage to isolate Savinho against Pervis Estupinan again.
The Brazilian skips past the left-back, again, but then his pass is loose and Brighton clear.
Image source, Getty ImagesBrighton 0-1 Man City
Steve Sidwell
Former Aston Villa and Brighton midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live
You're thinking Haaland is going to shoot. It's a tight angle and he drills it low and hard towards Savinho but it's a brilliant clearance from Igor. He does really well to get it over the bar.
Brighton 0-1 Man City
Jack Hinshelwood isn't able to continue.
He is replaced by Matt O'Riley.
Brighton 0-1 Man City
Crucial interception.
Erling Haaland gets in behind the Brighton defence and drives towards the area.
He drills across the six-yard line and Igor Julio slices over the bar with Savinho waiting to tap in.
Brighton 0-1 Man City
Man City's turn to get forward.
Joel Veltman misjudges the spin on the ball and that allows Ilkay Gundogan to get to the byline.
His cross is blocked though and Bart Verbruggen is able to collect.
Brighton 0-1 Man City
Steve Sidwell
Former Aston Villa and Brighton midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live
They work it really well. Esptupinan drills a cross right on the money. We've seen Hinshelwood score headed goals in his young Brighton career.
He's not the tallest but he has a leap and he was unmarked. Unfortunately he headed it straight at Ederson but it was a real chance.
Image source, getBrighton 0-1 Man City
Jack Hinshelwood needed some treatment after landing awkwardly following that header.
He is OK to continue, though.
Brighton 0-1 Man City
Steve Sidwell
Former Aston Villa and Brighton midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live
I am so confused how that wasn't given as a free-kick outside the box [see 48 mins]. The Man City player is very lucky.
Baleba has certainly made an impact so far in this second half.
Brighton 0-1 Man City
Almost an equaliser.
A lovely move sees Brighton work a crossing opportunity from the left.
Jack Hinshelwood rises highest in the middle and powers a header towards goal but it is pretty close to Ederson, who is able to push away.
Brighton 0-1 Man City
A little dinked ball finds Kaoru Mitoma at the back post but his header back against goal is tame and Ederson collects easily.
Brighton 0-1 Man City
It has been a pretty sedate start to the second half so far.
Brighton have had more of the ball, though.
The crowd are booing again as Samuel Barrott opts not to give a foul for a tackle on Carlos Baleba.
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 6 | 15 | 28 |
| |
| 2 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 13 | 9 | 23 |
| |
| 3 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 19 |
| |
| 4 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 19 | 15 | 4 | 19 |
| |
| 5 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 18 |
| |
| 6 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 18 |
| |
| 7 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 13 | 3 | 18 |
| |
| 8 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 18 |
| |
| 9 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 22 | 11 | 11 | 16 |
| |
| 10 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 16 |
| |
| 11 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| |
| 12 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 15 |
| |
| 13 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 12 | -3 | 12 |
| |
| 14 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 19 | -6 | 12 |
| |
| 15 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 18 | -4 | 10 |
| |
| 16 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 17 | -7 | 10 |
| |
| 17 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 15 | -7 | 7 |
| |
| 18 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 27 | -11 | 6 |
| |
| 19 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 21 | -11 | 5 |
| |
| 20 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 21 | -14 | 4 |
|
Manager: Arne Slot
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Unai Emery
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Arne Slot
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Unai Emery
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
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Having won just one of their six Premier League home games against Aston Villa between 2009 and 2014 (D2 L3), Liverpool have now won five of their last six at Anfield against the Villans (D1).
Only Manchester United (12) and Chelsea (7) have won more Premier League away games against Liverpool than Aston Villa (6, level with Arsenal).
Aston Villa have lost 16 of their last 18 Premier League away games against sides starting the day top of the table (D2), including each of the last nine in a row. Indeed, they’ve only won one of their 23 such games, beating Leeds United 2-1 at Elland Road in January 2000.
Liverpool have conceded the first goal in their last two Premier League games, but avoided defeat in both (2-2 v Arsenal, 2-1 v Brighton). Indeed, their win against Brighton was the 100th time they’ve come from behind to win a Premier League match, the third team to reach this milestone in the competition.
Both of Aston Villa’s Premier League defeats this season have come against the two north London sides, losing 4-1 against Tottenham last time out. The Villans last lost consecutive league games in May 2023.
Only Manchester City (32) have faced fewer shots on target than Liverpool in the Premier League this season (34), with the Reds also conceding the fewest goals (6) and having the lowest xG against figure this term (8.1).
No team has scored more Premier League goals this season from either crosses (6) or set-piece situations (5, excluding penalties) than Aston Villa (level with Arsenal in both cases).
Liverpool’s Arne Slot has become just the fifth manager to win as many as eight of his first 10 Premier League games in charge, after John Gregory (1998), Guus Hiddink (2009), Carlo Ancelotti (2009) and Ange Postecoglou (2023). Of the previous four, only Postecoglou failed to win his 11th match in the competition.
No player has been involved in more Premier League goals so far this season than Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (12 – 7 goals, 5 assists). The Egyptian has also had the most touches in the opposition box this term (96), while of players to have had 20+ shots, no-one has hit a higher percentage of them on target (67% - 20/30).
Only Erling Haaland (16) has had more big chances than Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins in the Premier League this season (14). However, Watkins has scored with just four of these, the lowest conversion rate of any of the seven players with 10+ big chances (28.6%).
