Going into this weekend’s game against Aston Villa, Liverpool had rested some key players and welcomed others from injury, including Ryan Gravenberch.
The Reds were in poor form and in dire need of a result especially after an embarrassing loss to Crystal Palace in the League Cup midweek. With just one win in their last seven games, the pressure was on the team and Arne Slot.
Aston Villa were riding on a high after a huge win over Manchester City last weekend. Unai Emery had found a winning formula after a poor start to the season. Villa had won six of their last seven games.
Ryan Gravenberch makes return in huge Liverpool win
Since picking up the injury a few weeks ago, Ryan Gravenberch has been absent from Liverpool’s midfield. And his presence in the middle of the park had been key for the Reds last season.
He was going to be very important in the Aston Villa game, as their midfield dominated Manchester City last weekend. Gravenberch came in and dominated to help Liverpool to a 2-0 win.
| Touches | 67 |
| Passes Completed | 46 |
| Big Chances Created | 1 |
| Tackles Won | 2 |
| Ground Duels Won | 5 |
Goals from the Dutch midfielder and Mohamed Salah were key in securing a 2-0 win. Ryan Gravenberch’s presence on the pitch showed as Liverpool had a more composed display. Now, a bit of the pressure has been lifted off of Arne Slot’s shoulders heading into a demanding set of fixtures.
Next few games will be important for the Reds
Liverpool are up against Manchester City, Real Madrid and Nottingham Forest in their next three games. It showed how important it was to get a huge result against Aston Villa at Anfield.
Arne Slot even said that his side ”needed” the win: ”Happy with the result, with the performance and what I saw today, not only from the players but also the support we got from the fans, was what we needed today.”
The Reds will be buoyed by the return of Ryan Gravenberch. The midfielder was fantastic against Aston Villa, showing how important he is to the the team. Slot will be glad that the Dutchman will be fit to face the likes of Manchester City and Real Madrid in the coming weeks.
