Mohamed Salah scores 250th Liverpool goal to end losing run against Aston Villa

By Jonathan Veal, PA

Mohamed Salah’s 250th goal for Liverpool helped them stop the rot with a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at Anfield.

The Reds came into the match with their Premier League title defence in tatters after four successive defeats amid a wider run of six losses in seven games in all competitions.

But Salah’s landmark effort just before half-time, courtesy of a howler from Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, and Ryan Gravenberchh’s deflected effort after the break earned Liverpool’s first league win since September 20.

This performance was much more like the side that swept to Premier League glory last season, keeping a first clean sheet in 11 matches, and the pressure eased on boss Arne Slot, who was facing the first questions of his Anfield reign.

Salah was gifted his goal, having been presented with an empty net after a rogue Martinez pass, but became just the third Reds player to score 250 for the club, following in the footsteps of Ian Rush and Roger Hunt.

Villa hit a post twice inside the opening 20 minutes and things might have been different had one of those efforts gone in, but their four-match winning run ended.

Given Liverpool’s recent run, which was exacerbated by a Carabao Cup loss to Crystal Palace in midweek, the early tension was palpable, with every misplaced pass met with a groan by the Anfield crowd.

Their mood almost worsened in the fifth minute when Villa came within inches of taking the lead.

Morgan Rogers found Ollie Watkins with a brilliant pass and then raced up field to receive it back before curling a low effort on to a post in front of the Kop.

Villa hit the woodwork for the second time inside 20 minutes.

Matty Cash’s cross deflected off Virgil van Dijk and was heading for the top corner until Giorgi Mamardashvili diverted it on to the crossbar.

The irresistible Rogers then tested Mamardashvili after dancing past three players and shooting from distance.

Liverpool were lucky to be level, but the tide began to turn and should have then gone ahead in the 23rd minute.

Boubacar Kamara was caught napping on the ball by Dominik Szoboszlai, who went through on goal but put his shot too close to Martinez.

The Argentinian denied the Liverpool midfielder again in the 32nd minute when he got down well to palm away a free-kick.

Anfield erupted just before half-time as Hugo Ekitike powered a header home from 12 yards, but he was offside and VAR cancelled the effort.

The celebrations were for real shortly after, though, as Martinez produced an almighty blunder when he passed straight to Salah, who rolled into an empty net from just inside the penalty area for a historic goal.

Liverpool killed the game in the 58th minute when Gravenberch, back from injury, advanced towards goal and saw his shot deflect off Pau Torres and wrongfoot Martinez.

Villa, who had beaten Tottenham and Manchester City in their previous two games, were not able to cause the same problems as they did in the opening 20 minutes, with Ross Barkley wasting their best chance to get back into the game late on.