Soccer-Ruthless Liverpool open five-point gap with win over Villa

Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Aston Villa - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - November 9, 2024 Liverpool's Darwin Nunez celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Molly Darlington

LIVERPOOL, England (Reuters) -Liverpool opened a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League as breakaway goals by Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah sealed a 2-0 win at home to Aston Villa on Saturday.

Manchester City's earlier defeat was the perfect pre-match tonic for Liverpool and Nunez's 20th minute strike following a lightning counter-attack set the tone at Anfield.