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
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 1-2 Liverpool
65 mins: Jurgen Klopp has seen enough and makes a couple of changes for Liverpool in the hopes of wrestling control back in midfield.
Thiago Alcantara and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain go off with Naby Keita and Harvey Elliott brought on.
Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
62 mins: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lucas Digne both took knocks on the edge of the Aston Villa box but the hosts come away with the ball.
The power up the pitch full of confidence know and pick out John McGinn in the middle of the box. He controls the ball and decides not to shoot when the chance arrives allowing Van Dijk to close him down and clear the danger.
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool (Watkins, 59’)⚽️
59 mins: Game on! The hosts have been the better team since the restart and now they’ve earned their rewards. After finding a bit of success on the left side of the pitch they change tactic and give the ball to Douglas Luiz.
He brings the ball through the inside right channel and lifts a cross over to the far post. Ollie Watkins keeps himself onside leaps above everyone else and nods the ball into the far corner!
Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool
57 mins: Liverpool are living dangerously. Aston Villa work the ball expertly into the box from the left and cut the ball back to Leon Bailey.
He eyes up another first time shot but miscues his effort once more and bobbles the shot wide of the target.
Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool
54 mins: Save! Lucas Digne brings the ball up the pitch and cuts in from the left wing before hooking a shot at goal and forcing Alisson into a diving stop to his left.
The Liverpool goalkeeper gets two hands to the ball and clings onto the effort.
Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool
51 mins: Off the woodwork! Liverpool clear an Aston Villa free kick and dink the ball over to Mo Salah who sweeps up the pitch. Salah drives into the left side of the box and tries to pick out the far bottom corner but is denied by Robin Olsen’s outstretched leg.
The ball bounces into Douglas Luiz who can do nothing to control the ball but the midfielder gets lucky when hid deflection hits the near post and bounces out of play.
Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool
48 mins: Watkins was only just offside after Trent Alexander-Arnold stepped up to push Liverpool’s defensive line high. It would have take Villa just 25 seconds to score had that one counted.
Chance! The home side are giving it a go. Lucas Digne is played out to the left wing and keeps the ball alive at the byline before cutting one inside to Emiliano Buendia.
Buendia shoots but drills his effort into the side netting.
Second half: Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool
Liverpool get the game back underway and work it down the left wing.
Disallowed goal! Drama immediately after the restart as Villa nick the ball back and slide a through ball up to Ollie Watkins. He carries it into the box and guides his effort past Alisson’s outstretched arm nestling the ball into the bottom corner only for the offside flag to get raised.
HT Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool
Still to come tonight: Arsenal host West Ham in the final Premier League game of Boxing Day this season. The Gunners are looking to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League.
The team news will be out in about half an hour or so before kick off for that one at 8pm.
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