Retro game: Liverpool v Aston Villa

Wednesday, 14/12/2011

by Ger McCarthy

Date: Monday August 24, 2009
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
Attendance: 43,667
Competition: Premier League
Final Score: Liverpool 1 Aston Villa 3

Liverpool travel to Villa Park this coming weekend to take on Alec McLeish’s side in an important Premier League encounter. Both sides are currently positioned in the top half of the table and have a history of producing some memorable encounters in the recent past. One such fixture took place only two seasons ago in an early Monday night Premier League showdown at Anfield.

Rafa Benitez was in charge of the Reds at the beginning of the 2009-10 campaign but suffered a shock 2-1 opening day defeat to Tottenham before bouncing back to hammer Stoke 4-0 on their home patch. Recently installed Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill was still in the hot seat at Villa Park when the midlands club kicked off the 09-10 season but suffered a humiliating 1-0 defeat to Rapid Vienna in a Europa League qualifier as well as losing to Wigan on the opening day of the season.

The Match
More than 44,000 fans were crammed into Anfield on a balmy August night for the visit of Villa with the Liverpool supporters expecting a similar performance that led to a 4-0 demolition of Stoke in their previous Premier League encounter. The hosts created most of the early chances but failed to find a way past Brad Friedel in the Villa goal.

Liverpool were made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal when Villa grabbed the lead just past the half hour mark. The home side saw another attack break down in the final third that allowed Villa to counter-attack at pace. Stiliyan Petrov was fouled wide on the left wing resulting in the award of a free kick. Ashley Young sent a venomous effort into a crowded penalty box from the resulting dead ball that clipped the head of Lucas and wrong-footing Pepe Reina in the Liverpool goal.

The home side responded with a series of attacks from which Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres failed to hit the target. The Merseysiders grew desperate in their attempts to source an equaliser and were caught out for a second time from a dead ball situation deep in first half injury time. Liverpool argued vehemently that referee Martin Atkinson’s decision to award Villa a corner was incorrect as Steve Sidwell's shot didn’t appear to hit off Martin Skrtel.

Pepe Reina was booked for kicking the ball away in anger at the decision before Nicky Shorey swung the corner into the six-yard box. Curtis Davies used his height advantage to out-jump Jamie Carragher and Torres at the near post and direct a thumping header into the net.

Despite an irate Benitez’s protestations that only one minute of additional time was supposed to have been allowed Villa went in 2-0 ahead at the interval to a cacophony of boos from the disgruntled Liverpool supporters. Liverpool laid siege on the Villa goal for much of the second period but Friedel continually frustrated the home side with a string of top class saves.

Dirk Kuyt rattled an upright before the pressure finally told on a heroic Villa back four when Torres pulled one back for Liverpool in the 72nd minute following fine approach play from Emiliano Insua.

That should have been the signal for a late Liverpool comeback but instead a reckless Gerrard challenge on Nigel Reo-Coker resulted in the award of a penalty to Villa just three minutes after Torres’ strike. Young stepped forward and dispatched the spot kick with consummate ease to secure a memorable 3-1 victory and kick-start Villa’s season.

What happened next?
Villa’s merited victory was significant for two reasons as it proved to be their first win over Liverpool in nearly eight years and the Anfield club’s first home league loss since Manchester United came away with a 1-0 win as far back as 2007.

Martin O’Neill’s side finished off a productive campaign in sixth, one point ahead of Liverpool. A Europa League place was Villa’s reward for a third consecutive year but the club also enjoyed decent runs in both the 2010 League and FA Cups. Chelsea knocked Villa out of the FA Cup following a 3-0 semi-final victory at Wembley but O’Neill went one better in the League Cup before falling at the final hurdle 3-1 to Manchester United.

Those early losses to Spurs and Aston Villa at the beginning of the 2009-10 season proved ominous for Benitez’s side as Liverpool failed to break the top four and also endured a disappointing Champions League campaign. Fiorentina and Lyon progressed from Liverpool’s opening phase group leaving the Anfield club with the Europa League as their only hope of European glory. Benitez led his side all the way to the last four of the competition in 2010 before Atletico Madrid emerged victorious after extra time on the away goals rule in the semi-finals.

Benitez would eventually leave his beloved Liverpool during the 2010-11 pre-season to be replaced by Roy Hodgson as manager in July.

Liverpool: Pepe Reina, Glen Johnson, Emiliano Insua, Jamie Carragher, Martin Skrtel, Steven Gerrard, Yossi Benayoun, Javier Mascherano, Lucas Leiva, Fernando Torres, Dirk Kuyt. Substitutes: Cavalieri, Kelly, Dossena, Ayala, Riera, Voronin, Babel.

Aston Villa: Brad Friedel, Curtis Davies, Nicky Shorey, Habib Beye, Carlos Cuellar, Steve Sidwell, Ashley Young, James Milner, Stiliyan Petrov, Nigel Reo-Coker, Gabriel Agbonlahor. Substitutes: Guzan, Albrighton, Delph, Gardner, Lowry, Delfouneso, Heskey.

Ref: Martin Atkinson

Follow Ger on Twitter: @offcentrecircle

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