Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says their 2-1 comeback victory against Aston Villa is ‘a real relief’.
The Reds had lost their previous six Premier League matches at Anfield, the worst run in their history.
But Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold scored as they beat Villa and took a massive step towards Champions League qualification.
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Liverpool went behind in the 43rd minute as Ollie Watkins beat Alisson with a left-footed effort.
Roberto Firmino thought he had equalised before half time but saw his goal ruled out for a marginal offside.
In the second half, Mo Salah finally brought them level by reacting first to an Emi Martinez save. He beat Tyrone Mings to the ball and headed into an open net.
Alexander-Arnold, watched by England boss Gareth Southgate after his recent squad omission, then stepped up to score an injury-time winner. He bent a brilliant strike into the far corner to avenge Liverpool’s 7-2 defeat to Villa earlier in the campaign.
Reacting to the win, Klopp told Sky Sports (via BBC Sport): “We dominated the game but we made one mistake and concede a goal. Then we score the equaliser but it’s ruled out for offside.
“At half-time it wasn’t the best mood, you can imagine but the words were OK. I didn’t have to lift them too much, they knew if we continue to play like we did we would create chances again.
“We dealt with their game really good. It was massive, it felt massive to win. A real relief.
“We were there, we defended well, we were constantly in the creating mood without having 20 clear-cut chances. We needed that win today, these three points feel big.
“We can stop that chat about Trent, everyone agrees that he is an outstanding player. It’s Gareth Southgate’s decision what he does for the squad but we don’t have to talk about it every week. We don’t have to justify the player’s status every week.
“We have to put the other teams under pressure. Everyone knows that when we get on a run we are dangerous.”
Klopp will be delighted with how his team came from behind to get all three points.
The victory keeps them in the running for a top-four spot.
They’re on 52 points after 31 games and are level with West Ham.
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