#match-performance

#match-performance

We had a complicated start, then this great reaction, we took the game in hand and deserved to take the lead, creating three or four good chances. At the start, we lost the ball too cheaply, weren't clean enough in our passing, struggled under pressure, but in general after that, the team played well. What gives me confidence is that we have talented players with quality who can make the difference when taking men on.

In a game that felt like a loss would have been catastrophic, Liverpool instead delivered their most convincing league performance in what felt like ages, securing a 2-0 victory over a Villa side that had won their previous four EPL matches heading into Saturday. There is clearly still work to be done before the Reds can claim to be fully back, especially with two monumental fixtures against Real Madrid and Manchester City looming and league-leading Arsenal continuing their winning streak.

Leeds United sit 15th in the Premier League after seven matches of the new campaign with two wins and eight points - a reasonable showing that over the course of 38 games would see them surpass the once-heralded 40-point mark synonymous with survival. It has been a competitive season so far with all 20 teams already suffering at least one defeat and there has been plenty of discussion, too, about the performance of newly-promoted sides Leeds, Burnley and Sunderland.

On a wet and windy night in Somerset, even so, they were made to work extremely hard for it by a stubborn Sale team who stuck in the fight and refused to go away. It was only with three minutes left that Max Ojomoh slid in to score his side's bonus point try to maintain his squad's perfect start to the campaign.

The raw emotion in Emery's goal celebrations, as he turned and pumped his fists towards the Aston Villa crowd, was in contrast to the statuesque figure he cut an hour before. Raul Jimenez had just given Fulham a third-minute lead as the Cottagers looked to end their wretched run at Villa Park. But that run continues - Ollie Watkins ended his wait for a goal and John McGinn and Emi Buendia grabbed quickfire strikes

Many players have come and we are working on that work. We are on the road and hoping that efficiency and forcefulness will bring us closer to the results that we are not having. On the coach's side we have to look at the positive side and correct what we have to correct. We have to improve the defensive part. The team has started scoring in every game but we have to improve to sustain the games.