MOHAMED SALAH ended Arne Slot’s misery with the 250th goal of his Liverpool career – and the easiest he’ll ever score.
Anfield’s Egyptian king had lost much of his majesty throughout the horror run of six defeats in seven games that had shocked the Prem champs to their core.
Indeed until Emi Martinez presented him with a kids’ stuff opportunity a minute into first half injury time, he had barely been in residence.
Yet there he was with the opener that helped his team mates learn to win again and joining Anfield greats Roger Hunt and Ian Rush on that magic mark as the curse was lifted on boss Slot.
As well as the threat of him becoming the first Anfield manager since Don Welsh 72 years ago to lose five top flight games in a row.
Indeed despite watching a team still with plenty to do to completely rediscover themselves, he even breached the 100–point barrier.
ITCHING TO GO
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca spotted ‘trying to hide rude act’ on touchline
Why, there was even a first clean sheet in eleven games.
Slot went into this must–win meeting bleating over being accused of making too many excuses for the shattering four-game losing Prem sequence that saw them start off the night ten points behind leaders Arsenal.
But for Martinez, there could be no excuse at all.
For if Salah’s striker was the easiest of his career that blunder was the worst-ever by the Argentinian World winner who was forced to pick the ball out of his net again thanks to Ryan Gravenberch’s 54th minute clincher.
BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS
Slot’s line – up spoke volumes about the situation he had found himself in.
Missing were injured £130M British record buy Alexander Isak and £29M Jeremie Frimpong.
There were only places on the bench for the so–called “wizard” of German football in £100M initial buy of Florian Wirtz and £40M buy from Bournemouth Milos Kerkez.
The selection was based on the tried and trusted players available who won the title last season.
Trust was in the experience of winning, not of the nightmares of the past month in which Wirtz, especially, had been like a ghost figure, flitting through Prem games like a lost soul.
The only new arrival picked or available was £69M striker Hugo Ekitike – the only one of them, too, who had earned any credit.
The absence of Wirtz, brought in from Bayer Leverkusen supposedly to lead Slot’s side to new hights, was a major embarrassment for him and the recruiting team but the Kop boss had run out of wriggle room.
Trying to win again was everything, the actual performance? No real concern providing it stopped the rot.
Reputations, no matter how grand, were strictly for the Liver Birds
Slot was looking for the comfort of familiarity and instinctive understanding between team-mates who knew each other well, especially from Gravenberch, back fit, replacing Wirtz, restored as one of the big heartbeats of the side.
And he needed them against a side starting with the exact opposite record than his over the last game – having won six out of their last seven including four successive Prem victories.
Although within five minutes the kind of gap that has often this season seemed like a midfield chasm opened up again, Morgan Rogers firing a long ball towards Ollie Watkins.
He sped forward to get if back and delivered a sumptuous right footer from 20 yards that slammed against the post.
Villa played with the kind of confidence that had seemed to be Liverpool’s by right not long ago.
Yet they arrived with numbers very much against them – not having won at Anfield in the seven previous trips since 2014 and a clincher from Gabby Agbonlahor.
Boss Unai Emery had only one happy memory against the Reds who he had faced on 13 previous occasions with in his career.
He won the first, the 2016 Europa League final with Sevilla but since then had drawn four and lost eight, never keeping a clean sheet.
Yet if he felt tense, try the home support who started out with their usual Scouse bravado but following that Rogers attempt became seriously screwed up.
It got worse for their nerves as Matty Cash crashed in a shot that spun off Virgil van Dijk, Giorgi Mamardashvili producing a stunning touch onto the bar in front of The Kop.
Slot’s hope that the normal service of last season would be restored wasn’t happening because once more too many of his players were not switched on.
Moments after Cash’s effort, Rogers was allowed to run free and fire in another shot, Mamardashvili once more gaining warm, relieved applause.
Dominic Szoboszlai had the chance to end the fear and loathing of fans now watching through their fingers but his shot straight at Martinez said everything about how bad things had become before kick-off.
Ekitike looked to have shown his scurrying team-mates the way forward, but his header from Szoboszlai’s cross went the way of offside and VAR.
Yet almost immediately, despair turned to joy as Martinez tried to play out from the back and rolled the ball straight into Salah’s path.
Read more on the Scottish Sun
PYRO HORROR
Doorbell footage captures moment gang of yobs pelt Scots home with fireworks
STAND-IN ORDER
O’Neill responds to permanent Celtic manager talk as interim reveals stance
It was a true Halloween shocker but had so many home fans who had been fearing the worst again screaming – more probably in relief than actual joy.
Liverpool certainly lightened up after that lucky break, Gravenberch producing a stylish second, Villa the team this time asking how it had all gone so wrong.
