Ryan Gravenberch's heat map captures his brilliance - Liverpool's three winners and three losers vs Aston Villa

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Credit: IMAGO Sat 1 November 2025 22:23, UK Liverpool beat Aston Villa 2-0 to end their four-match winless run in the Premier League which came as a major relief to the fans. Prior to the match, Arne Slot had come under the spotlight for his excuses as the Reds lost 3-0 to Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup.Sources told Football Insider that the Aston Villa clash was a massive match for Liverpool to turn around their dismal form.

Questions had been pointed at Slot over whether he has what it takes to be the Liverpool manager moving forward and the victory will take major pressure off his shoulders.Football Insider reviews their best and worst performers following the fairly one-sided affair. Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking MediaLiverpool winnersMohamed SalahFollowing a poor start to the 2025-26 campaign by his exceptionally high standards, Mohamed Salah has begun to find his feet again in a Liverpool shirt.The Egyptian seized upon Emiliano Martinez’s loose pass, tucking the ball away to give the Reds the lead.

MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES The number 11 was also a creative outlet, racking up one key pass during the game.Ryan GravenberchArguably Liverpool’s standout player of the season so far, the Dutchman was back in the starting XI after a mini absence through injury.Ryan Gravenberch smashed home the Reds’ second goal through a deflected strike.Yet, it was his ability to turn over the ball and win back possession that really caught the eye as he won six of his eight duels.Moreover, his heat map, courtesy of Football Insider’s data partnership with Opta, highlighted his omnipresence on the pitch, running from side to side with unrelenting endurance.Virgil van DijkWhilst clean sheets have been a luxury for the Merseyside outfit, Virgil van Dijk has continued to be one of their most dependable assets.The towering Dutchman was defensively flawless, racking up four clearances and four recoveries to help protect Giorgi Mamardashvili’s goal.Similarly, the 34-year-old was excellent with his passing, maintaining a pass completion rate of 94 per cent.Liverpool losersCredit: ImagoHugo EkitikeIn the absence of Alexander Isak, the Frenchman didn’t take advantage of the uncontested start against the Villains.Hugo Ekitike did turn the ball into the back of the net in the first half, yet it was disallowed for offside, marking his final shot of the match.Conor BradleyThe Northern Irishman was recalled to the starting XI after missing out on the EFL Cup defeat and had a rather easy game at right-back.However, he makes the losers list simply due to his inaccurate passing at times which led to breakdowns in Liverpool attacks.His pass map demonstrates his attacking struggles, seeing Conor Bradley complete just 27 of his 35 passes with a passing accuracy rate of 78 per cent.The numbers are not bad for the 22-year-old, but with Jeremie Frimpong a constant threat for a starting role once he comes back from injury, the Northern Ireland international will need to up those numbers.Cody GakpoThe Dutchman was a creative force for Slot with two key passes, yet he was extremely wasteful in front of goal.Cody Gakpo accrued four shots on goal but failed to find the target with all of them as most sailed wide to the right of the goal.