Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool: 3 reasons why the Reds won

There were dramatic scenes at Villa Park as Liverpool made a last gasp comeback against Aston Villa, courtesy of a quickfire double from Andrew Robertson and the irrepressible Sadio Mane.

Villa's Egyptian midfielder Trezeguet scored the opener thanks to a well-timed run as he connected with a John McGinn free-kick, sending the ball beyond Allison Becker for his first-ever goal for Villa in the Premier League.

Jurgen Klopp's men then launched a prolonged siege on the Villa defence, with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah leading the spirited offence as Liverpool defiantly tried to prolong their 10-month unbeaten run and preserve their points advantage over Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

In the 87th minute, Roberston ensured the Reds' air of invincibility was preserved, thanks to a great header at the far post, and in the dying embers of the game, Mane won all three points for Klopp's resilient outfit, as he connected superbly with a Trent-Alexander Arnold corner.

The Reds walked on once again unscathed, and to the delight of their fans, they sit at the top of the PL table with a 6-point cushion over Man City. In this article, we discuss three reasons why Liverpool won.

#3 Aston Villa crack under intense Liverpool pressure

Dean Smith's men proved to be formidable challengers for Liverpool, as they managed to keep the European champions at bay for much of the encounter, with wave after wave of Liverpool attacking incursions thwarted by Tom Heaton and his cohorts.

The Lions had a great first half, as they matched the Reds pound for pound in the first 45 minutes and deservedly took the lead in that spell. However, in the second half, they came under an intense and sustained Liverpool barrage, finally succumbing in the dying embers of the game.

Jurgen Klopp's men had a total of 25 shots in the encounter, with a staggering 73 per cent of the possession at Villa Park. The Lions were defiant, however, the intensity of Liverpool's assault required 100 per cent concentration for 90 minutes. Smith's men blinked late on and were swiftly punished.

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#2 Resilient Liverpool

Jordan Henderson and Jurgen Klopp - Liverpool celebrates

It has become a very familiar sight - Liverpool defying seemingly insurmountable odds to claim victory to the consternation of naysayers and the delight of the Anfield faithful. Last season, we saw the Reds beat Lionel Messi's Barcelona in the Champions League against all odds and this season that same theme has unravelled in games Liverpool have failed to fire on all cylinders.

Against Aston Villa, although the Reds had the majority of possession and a mammoth 25 shots to their credit, they weren't at their usual best - as evidenced by the paltry 6 shots on target. However, Klopp and his charges threw the kitchen sink at Villa, and you know what they say, "fortune favours the brave". That phrase certainly rang true for Liverpool in this encounter.

#1 A Sadio Mane masterclass

Liverpool celebrate Sadio Mane's last gasp winner

Sadio Mane has continued where he left off last season, as he has turned up time and again for the Reds this term, delivering stellar performances. Senegalese talisman is Liverpool's top scorer this season, certainly outperforming the irrepressible Mohamed Salah so far.

In this encounter, Mane was at his best once again, as he led the Liverpool charge. He had a game-high 6 shots in the encounter, and his tenacity was rewarded late on in the game as he delivered a supple assist for the equaliser and connected with Trent-Alexander Arnold's corner kick a few minutes later for the winner.