Liverpool: Reina, Aurelio, Carragher, Skrtel, Arbeloa, Riera, Alonso, Mascherano, Kuyt, Gerrard (captain), Torres. Subs - Hyypia, Agger, Ngog, Dossena, El Zhar, Leiva, Cavalieri
Aston Villa: Friedel, Young, Davies, Cuellar, Reo-Coker, Young, Barry (captain), Petrov, Milner, Carew, Heskey. Subs - Gardner, Shorey, Guzan, Knight, Delfouneso, Salifou, Agbonlahor
Goal keeper pepe reina also achieving his 100th clean sheet for liverpool.
however despite the excellent last 10 days no one at the club was likely to lose perspective especially with the death of Bryce Morrison only a few days ago.
liverpool went into the game determined to keep up the attacking pace and style of play that we saw so clearly at old trafford the previous weekend. gerrard winning a corner within the first 2 minutes, auriellio placing it onto the head of skrtel.
only a few minutes later gerrard latched onto a throughball from torres only to slip at the crucial moment. it already looked like a hard days work for the a.v. back 4.
8 minutes into the game and kuyt caught the rebound of a gerrard free kick which had rattled the crossbar. GOAL. kuyt manages to slice it into the net. liverpool 1 up.
like the narrow streets surrounding liverpool it was one way traffic.
it took villa 21 minutes to get a shot at goal. a few minutes later and reina was forced to make a diving sav to deny carew. the bald headed goalie does not get enough credit for almost perfect kick but he pretty well to find the path of riera who brilliantly smashed it into the back. liverpool 2 - 0 up before 30 minutes of play.
and it only got better.
if villa's task had not been made hard enough because riera he was about to spoil their day completely. making a ghostly run behind reo - coker the midfielder filling in for right back had no choice but to bring him down to his dismay it was inside the box and the ref was not hesitant in pointing to the spot.
did any one ever doubt captain fantastic? he cooly slotted it in the bottom right corner after waiting for friedal to dive the other way.
liverpool were only to make it worse after the break adding another 2 goals. gerrard cleverly fooling the opposition and maybe his team mates by rolling the ball quickly and sneakily into the bottom corner from a free kick just on the edge of the box.
again gerrard with his hat-trick cooly converted from the spot after friedal brought down torres in the box which saw the former liverpool player off the pitch with a straight red. may be slightly harsh but a summary of aston villa's performance and liverpools excellence.
overall a fantastic day and liverpool once again making a decent team look nothing but completely average.
the title race is back on!
keep it up lads.
'you'll never walk alone'
x.
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