Source: Team_Talk
Vibrant Villa ruin Reds' home run
The Reds slumped to their second league defeat in nine days to put their title credentials firmly on the line.[LNB]Villa produced a defiant, organised display and fully merited their first win at Anfield since 2001.[LNB]Liverpool had not been beaten on home soil in the league since December 2007, when Manchester United were the last winners at Anfield.[LNB]Adn the spotlight will now be on the Merseysiders, who only lost twice in the league last season and still did not win the title.[LNB]The margin for error is now very fine. Teams rarely win the crown by losing more than five games in a season, and Liverpool's hopes could already have suffered a mortal blow.[LNB]A Lucas own goal and a Curtis Davies header saw Villa 2-0 up at the break. Fernando Torres pulled one back but an Ashley Young penalty settled the points.[LNB]Martin Skrtel returned to Liverpool's defence in place of teenager Daniel Ayala, having recovered sufficiently from a jaw injury to be risked.[LNB]This was the only change in the Liverpool side from the one that beat Stoke at home last week, with new Greek defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos not included in the squad.[LNB]Villa included Curtis Davies, who had recovered from a shoulder injury. Brad Friedel, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Stiliyan Petrov all returned to the side after being rested in the Europa League defeat away to Rapid Vienna last week.[LNB]Liverpool produced a busy start, but found themselves frustrated by the quick-tackling, quick-thinking Villa midfield.[LNB]The hosts could have been ahead in the first minute when Yossi Benayoun's back-header from Torres' chip into the area, beat Friedel but dropped inches wide.[LNB]A taste of what was to follow came from Villa's first chance came when Davies met a Nicky Shorey cross with a strong header, but it went straight at Jose Reina.[LNB]Torres and Steven Gerrard both saw shots blocked in the six-yard box, before Young was booked after 12 minutes for halting a Dirk Kuyt run.[LNB]Then Gerrard struck a first-timer from 20 yards just over from Kuyt's touched pass.[LNB]But Liverpool's problems were beginning to mount in a midfield that they were unable to dominate.[LNB]Javier Mascherano and Lucas were both fortunate not to be cautioned for fouls on Petrov and Agbonlahor in quick succession.[LNB]Torres was also coming in for some rough treatment from Carlos Cuellar, two tackles from behind going unpunished by referee Martin Atkinson.[LNB]By now Nigel Reo-Coker and Steve Sidwell were successfully breaking up Gerrard's flow in midfield, and Villa were soon to take the lead.[LNB]It came after 34 minutes when Lucas gave away a needless free-kick in midfield. Young swung the set-piece towards the near post, and it was the unfortunate Lucas who rose to head the ball past Reina for an own-goal.[LNB]Liverpool's play was sloppy and far too much possession was being conceded with ill-directed passes.[LNB]Further calamity came after Reina was booked in first-half injury time for kicking the ball away in annoyance when referee Atkinson awarded a disputed corner, Sidwell's shot looking to have clipped Skrtel.[LNB]And from that disputed corner, Villa found themselves two up. Shorey's corner swung into the near post and was headed home by Davies.[LNB]The hosts have staged some amazing comebacks in this stadium over the years, and they were going to need another massive performance to salvage anything from this situation.[LNB]Villa defended with organisation and desire. Roe-Coker was booked for kicking the ball away, and Friedel produced a fine save from a Kuyt header.[LNB]Kuyt then saw another header hit a post from a Gerrard corner from the left.[LNB]But Villa were still showing great resilience, and breaking quickly to cause Liverpool all sorts of problems at the back, Agbonlahor being only inches away from a third with one sliding attempt.[LNB]Liverpool sent on Andriy Voronin for Lucas after 66 minutes, with Friedel producing another fine stop from a Gerrard drive soon after.[LNB]But after 72 minutes, Liverpool finally gave themselves some hope when Emiliano Insua got down the left and rolled the ball into the six-yard box for Torres to score.[LNB]Three minutes later though, Liverpool were back in despair and Villa celebrating. Shorey's pass into the path of Reo-Coker saw the midfielder surge into the box only to be felled by Gerrard's desperate tackle.[LNB]It was a clear penalty and Young stepped up to restore Villa's two-goal lead.[LNB]Liverpool's frustration was obvious. Torres was booked for dissent when Young went down injured and asked for treatment. He was eventually replaced by Heskey.[LNB]Ryan Babel came on for Benayoun, Liverpool still coming forward. Friedel again made a fine save from a Torres flick, before Kuyt sent a close range effort wide of the far post.[LNB]The outstanding Friedel, against his former club, saved from Torres and Glen Johnson, with Skrtel booked in the dying minutes, but Villa held on for a famous victory.[LNB][LNB]
