Liverpool 1-3 Aston Villa
Liverpool suffered a festive setback at Anfield as unfancied Aston Villa came to our ground and gave us a good turning over.
Christian Benteke showed Liverpool all about putting the ball in the net - scoring twice as Villa raced into a 3-0 lead by the 51st minute.
The reds saw Luis Suarez return to Premier League action after his one game ban, but it was to little avail. Jose Enrique, one of the reds brightest stars this season, missed out through injury - giving Stewart Downing, surprisingly, another opportunity to show us his ability at left back.
Before kick off a minutes applause rang out on behalf of Phil Taylor, the former Liverpool manager, who died recently at the ripe old age of 95.
Villa started the brightest, but Liverpool were stung in to a response. However, as has been the case for what now seems like an eternity, Liverpool were firing blanks in front of goal. It was Benteke who struck first in the 29th minute, with plenty of space he sent in a shot from 20 yards that went in off the post.
Before half time Weimann doubled Villa's lead as again, both he and Benteke terrorised the reds defence.
Rodgers again turned to Joe Cole at half time - bringing him on for Jonjo Shelvey.
But it was Cole who then gave the ball away to Benteke to put Villa 3 goals ahead and secure their three points.
Steven Gerrard, on another poor afternoon from the Liverpool striker, managed to get a late consolation goal but it was too little and too late to give the reds supporters any comfort.
Hugely disappointing and dispiriting.
Keep the faith . It’s one result that’s all . If we were good enough last Friday to make top four were still good enough , we dropped one point further behind the blues and there deemed good enough so let’s keep believing , and if there was a positive to come out of it . It is its proving Lucas does not protect the back four or strengthen us defensively and as he adds sweet FA going forward maybe we can play a proper footballer in that position , Glen Johnson remarked the result was just a blip and that we lacked tempo , well Lucas’s ten yard passes straight back to the fella he received the ball from detracts from any tempo or momentum being built .
‘Villa started the brightest’, really, were you watching the same match? It was all Liverpool until they scored. And then even after that we had the most chances. The problem is we are not putting the chances away, but it has been that way for a few years. At least we’re getting chances.
Liverpool were arrogant, sloppy and beginning to believe their own hype. Hopefully this result will slap them into shape. When we’ve won six or seven on the bounce, then maybe, just maybe, we can start the chest beating!
agree, with rotter – excellent villa….too a degree. The article fails to point out just how poor suarez was in the game. obviously he’s our main man, and you take the rough with the smooth for a talent like that. in this game however, aside from one fabulous ball for gerrard – everything that went through him broke down, he gave the ball away for their first goal in our half and his final ball and decision making was dreadful. It’s a shame how much we rely on him.
Get Rodgers and FSG OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not poor Liverpool . Excellent Villa