London (dpa)
Liverpool maintained its second place in the English Premier League, after winning a difficult victory against its guest Aston Villa and beating them 1-0 on Saturday in the sixteenth stage of the competition.
Third-placed Chelsea also beat Leeds United 3/2, while Arsenal beat Southampton 3-0, after the same stage today witnessed the leaders Manchester City beat Wolverhampton 1/0.
Liverpool owes a great deal of thanks to the Egyptian star Mohamed Salah, who scored the game’s only goal in the 67th minute from a penalty kick obtained by the same player.
Liverpool, who achieved the fifth consecutive victory in the league, raised its score to 37 points in second place, one point behind Manchester City and one point ahead of Chelsea.
At Anfield, the match started with a fast pace of play, and Aston Villa tried to impose its presence in the match through possession, but Liverpool quickly entered the atmosphere and imposed its offensive superiority.
Liverpool almost opened the scoring in the 11th minute, when Andy Robertson crossed a cross that Egyptian star Mohamed Salah allowed to pass to Trent Alexander Arnold, who shot hard from the edge of the penalty area, but the defense tackled it and turned it into an unused corner.
Liverpool largely dominated the ball and continued its offensive attempts, which did not allow Aston Villa to give up the defensive insurance for minutes.
And in the 1 minute, Emiliano Martinez, Aston Villa goalkeeper, saved a dangerous header from Robertson.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain almost advanced to Liverpool in the 20th minute, when he hit a sudden ballistic missile from outside the penalty area, but it passed directly over the crossbar.
Sadio Mane launched a quick attack for Liverpool in the 26th minute, and passed the ball to Robertson, who brilliantly penetrated into the penalty area and then fell demanding a penalty kick, due to a foul by Marvelos Nakamba, but the referee indicated to continue playing.
Despite Liverpool’s superiority in various aspects, the goal of progress almost came from Aston Villa after a wrong exit by goalkeeper Alison, and the ball was centered on Aston Villa striker Ashley Young, but the defense intervened as required and saved the net.
Over time, Aston Villa gained more confidence and made more than one attacking attempt, but without a real danger to Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson.
Liverpool continued to put pressure on its guest through the attempts of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane and the breakthroughs of Chamberlain and Robertson, but the defense succeeded in cooperating with the goalkeeper well in keeping the danger away from the net.
Mohamed Salah almost advanced to Liverpool in the 44th minute, as he penetrated brilliantly into the penalty area and then hit a powerful ball with his left foot, but the goalkeeper saved it before the defense dispersed it.
Liverpool started the second half attacking from the first minute and surrounded their opponent, but Aston Villa intensified their focus on defensive insurance.
Virgil van Dijk almost opened the scoring for Liverpool six minutes after the start of the second half, receiving a high ball from a corner kick and heading it hard, but goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez excelled in a big way in addressing it.
Steven Gerrard, the former star of Liverpool and the current coach of Aston Villa, made the first substitution in the match in the 57th minute, as Morgan Sanson was included in place of Marvelous Nakamba, and Jurgen Klopp, coach of Liverpool, pushed Diego Jota instead of Chamberlain.
And Sadio Mane passed a perfect cross in the 60th minute to Mohamed Salah, who shot hard, but the ball passed directly over the crossbar.
And in the 65th minute, the star Mohamed Salah brilliantly penetrated into the penalty area and was fouled by Tyrone Mings, to get Liverpool a penalty kick. Mohamed Salah advanced to implement it, scoring a 1-0 lead for Liverpool in the 67th minute.
And Steven Gerrard made the second substitution in the ranks of Aston Villa in the 74th minute, where he brought in Danny Ings instead of Jacob Ramsey.
Then Aston Villa rushed to attack with all his might in search of a draw and made more than one really dangerous attempt, but he found it difficult to shoot towards the net.
A valuable opportunity was missed by Liverpool in the 82nd minute, when the team launched a counter-attack and Sadio Mane made a great start and then passed a perfect cross to Mohamed Salah, but the defense intervened at the right moment to save the net from an accomplished goal.
Aston Villa continued their attacking awakening and were very close to a draw, but Liverpool managed to keep a clean sheet.
The last seconds of the match witnessed two wonderful passes from Salah to Jota, but the defense intervened in the first and threw the ball away, while Jota shot in the second place and the ball passed over the crossbar, the match ends with Liverpool winning 1 / zero.
Chelsea continued to chase after Manchester City and Liverpool, after achieving an exciting victory against its guest, Leeds United, 3/2.
Leeds United advanced with a goal scored by Ravenha from a penalty kick in the 28th minute, then Chelsea tied with a goal by Mason Mount in the 42nd minute.
In the second half, Chelsea advanced with a goal scored by Giorginho from a penalty kick in the 58th minute, then Leeds United tied in the 83rd minute with a goal by Joe Gilhardt, but Chelsea settled the match in his favor with another goal scored by Giorgenho from a penalty kick in the 90th minute.
Arsenal climbed to fifth place, raising its score to 26 points, after beating its guest Southampton with three goals, scored by Alexandre Lacazette, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Magales in the 21st, 27th and 62nd minutes.
.