Stefan Bajcetic scored his first senior goal as Liverpool survived a minor scare to record a 3-1 win over Aston Villa in their Premier League Boxing Day showdown.
With Unai Emery's men unable to take a number of chances that came their way, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk gave the Reds a healthy 2-0 lead before the half-time whistle.
Ollie Watkins deservedly gave the hosts a flicker of hope early in the second half, but Bajcetic settled the contest to become the second-youngest Spanish goalscorer in the Premier League after Cesc Fabregas.
Jurgen Klopp's crop took the game by the scruff of the neck right from the first whistle, and it only took four minutes for the Reds to draw first blood, with Andrew Robertson finding Salah to tap home from a few yards out following a sublime outside-of-the-boot pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold to his fellow full-back.
By laying off a first-time pass for Salah to break the deadlock, Robertson recorded his 54th Premier League assist, breaking the record for defenders previously held by ex-Everton man Leighton Baines.
Liverpool may have had their tails up, but heads were in hands for the home crowd when Leon Bailey fluffed his lines from a great scoring position in the 13th minute, as his mishit attempt floated harmlessly up into the air.
Alisson Becker was then on hand to keep out Watkins's header in the 17th minute, with Villa experiencing some joy in behind the Liverpool backline, and Joel Matip had a header of his own disallowed for offside from what would have been Robertson's 55th Premier League assist.
Tyrone Mings had been a major factor in keeping Liverpool's lead at just the one goal, but the Villa centre-back was the unfortunate party in the 37th minute, as Salah kept the ball alive following a corner and set up Van Dijk, whose effort from a tight angle took a nick off of Mings into the side of the net for the Reds' second.
There was arguably not a more grateful man in the stadium at half time than Darwin Nunez, whose catalogue of missed chances characterised his EFL Cup evening at Manchester City last week, and the Uruguayan was often found wanting up front at Villa Park too.
Watkins did not cover himself in glory in the first half either, but he had the ball in the back of the net within 40 seconds of the second period, although he had just gone a fraction too early and was flagged offside.
A plethora of chances arrived for both sides during a frenetic start to the second half, and Villa would find the goal that their newfound spark merited, as Douglas Luiz's cross from the right met the head of Watkins, who left Alisson flat-footed with a header into the bottom corner.
Now pressing for a leveller, the Lions were roared on by the buoyant crowd, who were amused at yet another missed chance for Nunez in the 75th minute, as the striker was released through on goal by a wonderful Salah pass but dragged his effort wide.
However, Nunez was the one laughing in the 81st minute, as the Liverpool man just about kept the ball from going over the byline and stung the palms of Robin Olsen, who could only parry into the path of 18-year-old Bajcetic.
The Spain youth international skipped round Olsen and slotted home through the legs of Mings to restore Liverpool's two-goal lead, and a couple more notable substitutions occurred in the final five minutes.
Philippe Coutinho was given a quick run-out against his former club, and there was a Premier League debut for 17-year-old Liverpool starlet Ben Doak as a replacement for Nunez, who went off to a standing ovation from the visiting crowd.
Liverpool survived late pressure from the hosts to see out a two-goal win ahead of Friday's contest with Leicester City, while Villa face a baptism of fire in 2023 against Tottenham Hotspur on New Year's Day. body check tags ::
