Liverpool returned to Premier Lea'gue action with a 3-1 victory over As'ton Villa but were made to work fo'r the points in an engrossing ' at Villa Park.
The Reds went ahead with ju'st five minutes on the clock as Moh'amed Salah finished off a slick passing move — Andrew Robertson pr'oviding the assist to set a record am'ong Premier League defen'ders — an'd then doubled their advantage throu'gh Virgil van Dijk just past the 'half-hour mark.
But that scoreline did not off'er an entirely fair reflection of the c'ontest up to that point, and the ho'sts more than merited the Ollie Watk'ins header that brought them back int'o the game in the second half.
Unfortunately for Unai Em'ery, his side left themselves vulnera'ble to the counter as they pushed h'ard for an equaliser, and that openne'ss was punished as substitute Stef'an Bajcetic sealed the win lat'e in the day.
Aston Villa vs. Liverpo'ol as it happened
FULLTIME: The whistle sou'nds and Liverpool have made it thre'e Premier League wins on the boun'ce for the first time this season.
90th min: Substitute Ben Do'ak wins a corner with a mazy run on th'e right but Robertson's delivery is st'raight to Olsen.
Four minutes to be add'ed on.
85th min: Dendoncker, Ings and Coutinho coming on for Villa, with Kamara, Buendia and Bail'ey all making way.
Likely too little, too late no'w.
81st min: GOAL! Liverpool h'ave surely won it now!
Gomez plays Nunez in dow'n the left and, though the Uruguaya''n's pull back on the byline is pushed o'ut by Olsen, it's straight to the arriving Baj'cetic.
The youngster subseque'ntly takes a cool touch past the ' and th'en sidefoots the ball home thro''ugh a collection of bodies. Very cal'mly done.
78th min: Leon Bailey receiv'ing some attention from the physio after an inadvertent clash with Rob'ertson and so Liverpool take the cha'nce to make two further changes.
Henderson and Alexander-Arn'old are off for Bajcetic and Go'mez.
75th min: Darwin Nunez dash'es in behind after a lovely pick out from Salah but his woeful finish'ing streak continues with a poor one t'hat slides a foot wide of the far post.
That would have been the poi'nts in the bag for Liverpo'ol.
71st min: Liverpool work it ar'ound the Villa box after a much-nee'ded spell of possession but Naby Ke'ita's shot to finish off the move flies wa'y over the bar.
66th min: Two changes f'or Liverpool, Thiago and Oxlade-Chambe'rlain making way for Elliott and K'eita.
Jurgen Klopp needs the'se subs to work - his team are all over th'e place.
62nd min: Chaos at eith'er end of the pitch!
Liverpool waste a good oppo'rtunity when Nunez fails to find Sa'lah with a pass inside the Villa box a'nd then the hosts go up the other end an'd have Watkins to blame for takin'g a shot when he had plenty of 'supp'ort on the break.
59th min: GOAL! Aston Villa b'ack in it and my how they have des'erved it.
Douglas Luiz swings a be'auty of a cross in from the right-ha'nd side and Watkins leaps like a salm'on the back post to nod the ball bac'k beyond Alisson.
51st min: Salah breaks fro'm a Liverpool corner to bear do'wn on Olsen in the Villa goal b'ut can't sort his feet out given the p'ace he is moving at and scuffs t'he finish.
48th min: McGinn has a fr'ee header at the back post but can't gen'erate any power on the effort aft'er an awkward bounce and Aliss'on gratefully collects.
Villa looking sharp at the st'art of this half.
47th min: Watkins get in b'ehind from a Buendia pass after a slick pas'sage of play from Villa but his excellent finish beyond Alisson won''t be rewarded - the flag is up for off'side.
46th min: Back under way at V'illa Park.
HALFTIME: Villa have a free-ki'ck in a dangerous area in the dying seconds of the half but it's wasted an'd they go in 2-0 down.
45th min (+2): Nunez mee'ts an Alexander-Arnold free-kick delivery in the box but it's at an awkw'ard height for him and he can only help the ball into Olsen's hands.
45th min: Matip heads do'wn an attempted ball over the top for Watkins to help Liverp'ool regain possession.
The visitors have got better a'nd better at managing that threat a's the first half has worn on.
37th min: GOAL! Virgil va'n Dijk doubles Liverpool's lead wit'h a poacher's finish inside th'e box.
The centre-back is on ha'nd to arrow a controlled, left-footed dri've into the bottom corner after Sal'ah keeps the ball alive following a co'rner delivery. Breathing room for the visit'ors.
5th min: GOAL! Liverpool in th'e lead and it's Salah who gets it af'ter a wonderful passage of pl'ay.
Villa clear a corner but onl'y as far as Alexander-Arnold, who pla'ys a stunning outside-of-the-b'oot pass in behind that Robertson cros'ses first time to give Salah a tap-in a't the back stick.
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