Kathmandu,

December 27,

Goals from Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and teenager Stefan Bajcetic ensured the Reds recorded a third successive league win for the first time this season and reduced the gap to the Champions League places to five points.

Jurgen Klopp’s Reds took the lead on five minutes when Salah tucked home his 16th goal of the season after brilliant play from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson.

Liverpool then took control eight minutes before the interval when Virgil van Dijk steered home after Villa failed to deal with a right-wing corner.

Unai Emery’s side provided a strong response after the restart and Watkins reduced the arrears with a fine header just shy of the hour.

Darwin Nunez missed a series of gilt-edged openings in the first period for the away team and then dragged another big chance wide 12 minutes from the end.However, the Uruguayan’s persistence paid off soon after when his cross-shot was parried into the path of substitute Stefan Bajcetic, who side-stepped Robin Olsen before slotting home.