Liverpool ended the rot on Saturday with a 2-0 win over in-form Aston Villa.
Here are our scout notes from Anfield.
IS SALAH BACK?
Mohammed Salah (£14.2m) scored two goals in two games on Saturday with the opening goal of the match.
He received a huge helping hand, with Emiliano Martinez (£5.0 million) providing the assistance…
A milestone strike for Mo 🇪🇬👑 pic.twitter.com/wMoKEsNHEe
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 2, 2025
Last weekend we wrote that his brilliantly taken goal masked another poor performance. This week was different, with the Egyptian looking more like his old self. Yes, there were the occasional descents through blind alleys and misplaced passes – there are always those.
But he was sharper against Villa, his touch neater and his vision more aligned. He had chosen Cody Agat (£7.6 million) for a header from the back post over the goal early in the match, set up Conor Bradley (£5.0m) with a knockdown, and then played again at Gakpo; the Dutchman managed to both stray needlessly offside and miscontrol the ball.
Salah’s goal was his only real big chance of the match, and it was handed to him on a plate, but as we noted after the Brentford game, his underlying numbers are moving in the right direction again:
Above: Salah has been the best shot-making player among midfielders over the past five gameweeks; he was tied for 24th in Gameweeks 1-5
SZOBOSZLAI STILL THE PICK OF THE BUNCH
Gakpo’s numbers also remain quite good, with the Dutch international registering more shots here (four) than anyone else on the show.
He remains comfortable with Salah in terms of non-penalty expected goals involvement (NPxGI) this season, although beyond the raw numbers his performances have dipped in recent weeks. If Florian Wirtz (£8.0m), on the bench on Saturday, has plans to break back into the side, it will probably be on the left flank.
It certainly won’t be at your expense Dominik Szoboszlai (£6.5m), Liverpool’s player of the season. The Hungarian’s utility man status could be a deterrent to his FPL appeal: he has started three games at right-back this season, plus another two in central midfield.
Here, however, he was back in the role of ’10’, and therefore unsurprisingly more threatening. His 23rd minute effort, although technically outside the box, was Liverpool’s best unconverted chance of the match, but the Hungarian produced a tame finish.
Creating another effort from a few yards wide and testing Martinez with a free-kick either side of that chance, he also created the best three chances. It was Szoboszlai who made the crossing Hugo Ekitike‘s (£8.6m) offside goal too.
Two attacking returns all season is not a compelling selling point, but he has managed 16 in 2024-25 to suggest he is capable of doing so. One to keep an eye on before Liverpool’s fixtures improve from Gameweek 12.
VILLA PLAY IN THE HANDS OF LIVERPOOL
Is Liverpool back on the right track?
It was definitely more positive. Alexis MacAllister (£6.3m) and Bradley, two of the biggest (and most unfit) players of the season so far, had improved. Andrew Robertson (£5.8m) also came in and made for a less chaotic performance then Milos Kerkez (£5.8 million).
Ryan Gravenberch (£5.6m) returned and, unsurprisingly, also made a big difference, also showing the extra attacking license he has been given this season by coming forward to put Liverpool 2-0 ahead. He has already had as many shots on target (five) as in all of 2024/25!
Villa’s xG was the second lowest (after Burnley) that any team has managed against the reigning champions all season.
But let’s not be hasty in proclaiming that Liverpool are ‘back’.
Even Slot admitted after full-time that the Reds were “lucky”, with the goals coming from two passing errors by Villa. Gravenberch’s attempt was also repelled.
At the other end, the Villans, though subdued, smashed the woodwork through twice Morgan Rogers (£6.8 million) and Matty Cash (£4.6 million).
“Maybe we were a bit more lucky than in recent weeks, where I think we were also unlucky. So their goalkeeper’s mistake and the deflection led to two of our goals. These are the margins we are talking about. I think in other games we got more out of open play than today. But in football it’s about the results, not the chances you create through open play.” – Arne Slot
You would also have to question Villa’s naive tactical approach. When the Reds have struggled with direct play in recent weeks, why sabotage yourself and insist on playing from the back?
A rare off-day for the Villans, after their excellent four-match winning run.
#FPL #Notes #Salah #Liverpool #track