Salah will always score goals, says Liverpool boss Slot; Villa stun Bayern

Liverpool manager Arne Slot was not the least bit surprised by the superb performance of Mohamed Salah in their 2-0 Champions League victory over Bologna on Wednesday.

Salah set up Alexis Mac Allister's goal with a pinpoint cross and then bagged his own with a rocket to the top corner for an astounding 49th goal in the Champions League.

It was Salah's third goal in his last three games, which came on the back of a three-game mini drought.

“Before [last week's League Cup win over West Ham United], Mo played three games without scoring a goal. So it is in football, it can happen that sometimes in three games, you score one or you don't score,” Slot said.

“But these players, like Mo, they will always score their goals if you just keep playing them.”

The manager would not speculate on Salah's future at the Merseyside club. The Egyptian's contract expires at the end of this season and he has said this will be his last season at Anfield.

“Mo has done really well today, and I'm happy with the way he does at the moment, and I'm not looking forward to next season,” Slot said.

The 46-year-old Dutchman, who replaced Juergen Klopp in the close season, has become the team's first manager to win eight of their first nine games across all competitions.

His team have won their opening two in the Champions League to sit fifth in the 36-team table. They also top the Premier League. Slot, however, shrugged off the accolade.

He praised Klopp for the squad he inherited.

“It also says how I have been left this club — the work rate the players put in, how the staff are helping me get these results.”

A rousing atmosphere greeted Slot and his team, who had beaten AC Milan 3-1 away in their opener, and Liverpool did not disappoint, with Mac Allister scoring in the 11th minute, tapping in Salah's pinpoint cross from close range.

After narrowly missing several scoring chances, Reds talisman Salah finally connected in the 75th minute for his 49th Champions League goal, touching the ball past Juan Miranda before curling a rocket into the top right corner.

Also on Wednesday night, Aston Villa stunned Bayern Munich 1-0 thanks to a brilliant late Jhon Duran goal as the hosts celebrated in style their first home game in Europe’s elite club competition for 41 years.

With the Germans dominating possession but squandering chances, Duran ran onto a high ball in the 79th minute, spotted goalkeeper Manuel Neuer off his line, and scooped the ball over him to send Villa Park into delirium. It was Duran's fifth goal as a substitute this season.

The win was a throwback to one of Villa's most glorious days when they beat Bayern to lift the European Cup in 1982.

A first-half penalty earned Lille a shock 1-0 home victory over holders Real Madrid, ending the 15-time European Cup winners' 14-game unbeaten run in the competition.

Jonathan David converted from the spot three minutes into first-half stoppage time to hand Real, who had not lost in their previous 36 matches in all competitions, their first defeat since January.

The result put Ligue 1 side Lille on three points from two games in the new format of Europe's premier club competition.

Real, who won their opening match against VfB Stuttgart, are also on three points.

Benfica's Kerem Akturkoglu, Angel Di Maria, Alexander Bah and Orkun Kokcu scored in a 4-0 demolition of Atletico Madrid to start their Champions League campaign with two consecutive wins.