Aston Villa vs Liverpool LIVE: Premier League result and final score after Stefan Bajcetic wraps up win

Aston Villa 1-3 Liverpool: Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk put Liverpool in control but the Reds needed Bajcetic’s strike to seal the win after Ollie Watkins pulled one back

Klopp: 'We consider ourselves in punching distance so we have to chase.'

Liverpool beat Aston Villa 3-1 on Monday thanks to goals from Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Stefan Bajcetic to go sixth in the Premier League during a game littered with chances.

Striker Salah tapped in the visitors’ opener in the fifth minute after a sublime passing move from marauding wing-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson. Defender van Dijk bagged Liverpool’s second in the 37th minute with a superb left-footed shot after being set up by Salah, who would have been proud of the finish.

Ollie Watkins put Villa back in the game with a smart 59th minute header across goalkeeper Alisson Becker, before 18-year-old midfielder Bajcetic squeezed in Liverpool’s third - his first senior goal - to secure the win in the 81st minute.

Goalscoring opportunities came aplenty for both teams as they peppered each other with high balls over the defences. Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez was a nuisance throughout, missing a string of chances including a well-saved volley after he plucked the ball from high over his shoulder.

The result left Aston Villa in 12th place on 18 points, while Liverpool are on 25 points, one behind old rivals Manchester United in fifth but a daunting 12 behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, who were playing later on Monday.

Aston Villa vs Liverpool

• FT! Liverpool move back to sixth after winning three PL games in a row for first time this season
• 81’ GOAL! Substitute Stefan Bajcetic, 18, scores first senior goal to add Liverpool’s third (VIL 1-3)
• 75’ CHANCE! Nunez put through by Salah but can’t kill the game off for Liverpool (VIL 1-2 LIV)
• 59’ GOAL! Watkins pulls one back with guided header as Villa pressure pays off (VIL 1-2 LIV)
• 46’ NO GOAL! Watkins finishes past Alisson but strike disallowed for offside (VIL 0-2 LIV)
• 37’ GOAL! Van Dijk doubles Liverpool’s lead from corner with help from Konsa deflection (VIL 0-2 LIV)
• 17’ CHANCES! Bailey and Watkins both miss opportunities as Villa respond well (VIL 0-1 LIV)
• 5’ GOAL! Salah opens scoring following Robertson cross and stunning Alexander-Arnold pass (VIL 0-1 LIV)

[26 December 2022 15:45 · Michael Jones]

Aston Villa vs Liverpool

Hello and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of Boxing Day’s Premier League action. There are two more matches kicking off this evening as Aston Villa welcome Liverpool before Arsenal host West Ham in the late kick off.

Villa have won three of their last five matches and were starting to produce helpful results under new boss Unai Emery before the World Cup break hit. The midlands side are up to 12th in the table but could end the day inside the top-10 should they defeat Liverpool and other results go there way.

Liverpool’s priority is to catch up with the top four teams before potentially mounting a title challenge if they are mathematically in with a shout during the final third of the season. Their recovery starts this evening and Jurgen Klopp will feel that three points against Villa is an absolute must.

We’ll have all the build and coverage for this evening’s late games with kick off for the first match coming at 5.30pm.