Manager Arne Slot said Liverpool finally earned the bit of good fortune they had been missing after ending their four-match Premier League losing run.
Goals from Mohamed Salah and Ryan Gravenberch eased pressure on the Dutch coach after just one victory in the Reds’ previous seven matches across all competitions.
“The margins are small every single game,” Slot told BBC Match of the Day. “After five minutes they hit the post, and in recent weeks that ball went in. We got a bit lucky, which hasn’t happened recently. Our second goal was a deflection.”
Villa hit the woodwork twice early on, but Liverpool took control after Salah struck in first-half stoppage time – his 250th goal for the club, making him only the third player in Liverpool history to reach the milestone after Ian Rush and Roger Hunt. Gravenberch doubled the lead midway through the second half on his return from injury.
Slot praised the Anfield crowd for their support despite the team’s poor form. “It means a lot,” he said. “It happened at 0–0, not when you’re top of the table. That’s what makes this club special – the support you get when things are difficult.”
Captain Virgil van Dijk also urged calm after a turbulent few weeks. “There’s a lot of noise you can’t control,” he said. “We have to stick together and focus on our work.”
The victory lifts Liverpool’s spirits ahead of a crucial Champions League clash with Real Madrid on Tuesday and a Premier League trip to Manchester City next weekend.
