While Liverpool suffered a setback with their 4-0 loss at Man City last time out, history suggests their return to Anfield as champions should herald victory over Aston Villa.
Liverpool have never lost successive league games under Jurgen Klopp.
The last time they were defeated in back-to-back top-flight matches was in September 2015 (at home to West Ham and away at Man United).
It is more than two years since they last failed to score in two league games in a row (May 2018). That is the only occurrence under Klopp.
Liverpool have not failed to score at home in the league since October 2018 against Man City, finding the net in each of the last 31 Anfield top-flight fixtures.
Aston Villa have kept only one clean sheet in their last 16 league visits.
However…
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 56 league matches at Anfield since losing to Crystal Palace in April 2017. They have won 46 and drawn 10 in that sequence.
But Villa have previously ended two of Liverpool’s longest unbeaten home league runs.
The Reds were 31 home games without defeat when the Midlanders arrived in 1977 and again in 2009 to end the sequence.
Mane’s Joy
The fastest-ever Premier League hat-trick was scored against Aston Villa—by Sadio Mane in two minutes, 56 seconds in May 2015. His Southampton team won 6-1.
Mane has scored five goals in his five Premier League appearances against Villa—four with Southampton adding to this season’s winner at Villa Park.
The No. 10 is one goal short of recording 50 at Anfield for the Reds in all competitions.
He last lost a home game in the Premier League while playing for Southampton against Chelsea in February 2016. Virgil van Dijk was also in the Saints lineup.
Like Clockwork
Mo Salah has scored 15 goals in his 15 Anfield Premier League appearances this season.
He has found the net in all six of Liverpool’s home league games in this calendar year.
Villa Against the Big Six
Against the ‘big six’ this season they have picked up one point from nine games—that came in a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford in December.
In those nine fixtures, Villa have led at some stage in six but they have conceded 26 times in that sequence.
Today’s Refere
Paul Tierney is today’s referee.
He sent off Villa’s Jack Grealish in a defeat at Nottingham Forest in February 2017.
This Season’s Scorers
Liverpool: Salah 21, Mane 19, Firmino 11, Oxlade-Chamberlain 7, Origi 5, Wijnaldum 5, own goals 5, Milner 4, Van Dijk 4, Alexander-Arnold 3, Henderson 3, Keita 3, Fabinho 2, Jones 2, Matip 2, Robertson 2, Hoever 1, Lallana 1, Lovren 1, Shaqiri 1
Aston Villa: Grealish 9, Hourihane 7, El Ghazi 6, Wesley 6, Trezeguet 4, Luiz 3, McGinn 3, Elmohamady 2, Guilbert 2, Kodjia 2, Mings 2, Samatta 2, Targett 2, own goals 2, Davis 1, Engels 1, Hause 1, Jota 1, Konsa 1
* Statistics courtesy of LFC statistician Ged Rea (@ged0407).
