News'Special' - Arne Slot on Mohamed Salah's 10 goals and 10 assists

The Liverpool No.11 recorded one of each in Saturday night’s 2-0 Premier League win over Aston Villa as the Reds moved five points clear at the top of the table.

After his involvement in the counter-attack that led to Darwin Nunez opening the scoring in the first half at Anfield, Salah broke away late on and sealed the victory in typically flawless fashion.

“I’ve worked with him now for four or five months, and you guys have seen him here for six or seven years in a row now,” Slot told Liverpoolfc.com post-match when asked about the Egyptian’s statistics this term.

“It’s special that he scores so many goals already; what makes it even more impressive is that he does this year after year after year. Not many players are able to do that and that he is able to do this tells you a lot about the quality he has.”

At the other end of the pitch, Slot’s men resisted Villa’s quality to clinch a ninth clean sheet in 17 matches in all competitions this term.

While Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk again excelled as a central defensive partnership, the home side also needed Caoimhin Kelleher to keep the visitors out on several occasions.

The head coach said of his team ‘enjoying’ the responsibility of defending: “We didn’t have to defend a lot in terms of they had ball possession and we were pushed back into our own 18-yard box. But they constantly threatened us with their set-pieces.

“They are a very strong team when it comes to set-pieces. And they were every time waiting for us to lose the ball in midfield, and then with their fast attackers they have it’s always a threat.

“But we were patient and controlling the game. But it wasn’t an easy one, that’s what we all saw.”

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On Kelleher’s contributions, including two crucial reaction saves before half-time, Slot added: “First of all, the whole team stops a lot of attacks from the other team – the work-rate of the attackers and midfielders is incredible.

“If they are able to play through that then they see two incredible centre-backs which they have to pass. If they pass both of these two things then there’s still a goalkeeper they come up against.

“And again today he had one or two incredible saves.”