Conor Bradley's runs helping Mo Salah, Nico Gonzalez's passing for Man City and flexible Ferdi Kadioglu in The Debrief

Conor Bradley delivered his best performance of the season for Liverpool in their 2-0 win over Aston Villa, excelling defensively by winning possession more times than any other player on the pitch.

A key development was the emerging partnership between Bradley and Mohamed Salah, highlighted by Bradley's frequent underlapping runs, which were designed not to receive the ball but to create space for Salah. This tactic proved effective, as their 12 pass exchanges and Bradley's movements provided Salah with the time and room to shine.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot acknowledged the partnership's growth, emphasizing that while Bradley and Trent Alexander-Arnold have different styles, Bradley played an outstanding game and the synergy with Salah is expected to improve with more playing time together.