Aston Villa

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa, speaking to Sky Sports: "We knew this was an important game for us, it was must win. We came to win and that's what we did.

"The Champions League is the main goal. We'll focus on Saturday, another big one for us.

On goalscorer Marcus Rashford: "He's got a smile on his face again. He looks like he's enjoying football again. I'm so pleased for him.

"We have to take it game by game. Now it's all eyes on Saturday."

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Image source, Getty Images

Marcus Rashford's revival continued last night.

Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, scored his first two Villa goals in their FA Cup quarter-final win at Preston North End on Sunday.

And the England forward was on the mark for the first time in the Premier League for Villa with a composed finish after a counter-attack from a Brighton corner six minutes after half-time.

The 27-year-old showed high-quality touches in the first half, when he troubled the Brighton defence from wide positions - drawing regular applause and encouragement from manager Unai Emery on the sidelines.

Emery is renowned for his ability to improve players, restoring them when confidence is lost - and Rashford showed he is doing it again, demonstrating he still possesses class with the manner in which he broke the deadlock in a tight encounter.

Image source, Getty Images

So, what happened elsewhere in the Prem last night?

Why don't we start with Aston Villa, who boosted their European qualification hopes with a clinical 3-0 win at Brighton?

Once again they were inspired by their January signings.

Marcus Rashford opened the scoring on the counter early in the second half and Marcos Asensio then scored one and assisted another.

Fair point Clive.

Does some of the frustration coming from Liverpool supporters towards Trent Alexander-Arnold have something to do with him leaving on a free?

Would supporters be more accepting if he was leaving but Liverpool were getting £100m from Real Madrid?

Your questions for Phil can be on Liverpool and Everton.

They can also be on anything else*.

*well, football related. You can ask Phil what he's having for tea tonight but he probably won't answer.

OK, so here's the plan for the next few hours.

We still want your Get Involveds on Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jordan Pickford, James Tarkowski etc.

But we're also going to focus on the other Premier League results from last night.

And BBC Sport's chief football reporter Phil McNulty will be doing a Q&A very soon.

So make sure you send in your questions for Phil.

Don't say I don't listen.

FMac's right, I should've been clearer with the thumbs.

Liverpool's goal, what do we think? Should it have stood?

BBC Radio 5 Live

Former England defender Phil Jones speaking to Adrian Chiles on BBC Radio 5 Live: “I know Tarky [James Tarkowski] and he’ll kill me for this. He’s won the ball. It’s probably a little bit reckless.

"If we’ve not got VAR I can understand that you’re probably not going to give it as a red card because you probably won’t see that side of it. But it’s really hard to see how VAR’s not shown him the red card there and I’ll think he’ll feel himself that he’s got a bit fortunate to have got away with it.

"If I made a tackle like that I’d be thinking 'I could be in trouble here'.”

On Tarkowski having the most yellow cards in Premier League history (63) without receiving a red: “He might be clever with the way he buys cute little fouls that are deemed yellow cards but not heavy enough to be shown a red card.

"I think he’s a good player and he’s had a brilliant career. So I don’t think he’ll be too bothered about picking up yellow cards - that’s his game. If you take that aggression out of his game he’s not the same player.”

Listen to Adrian Chiles' show live.

Thanks FMac.

Two things scare me in this job. Reporting on ACL injuries, and reporting on Jordan Pickford incidents.

You guys don't forget!

Stephen Warnock
Former Liverpool defender on the Football Daily podcast

It's an interesting one because [Luis] Diaz is stood behind [James] Tarkowski. As the ball is played in, the pass is aimed at Diaz and Tarkowski is in front of him, he reacts to the ball, steps in, makes a clearance and doesn't control the ball as such, because he feels that Diaz is going to compete for the ball and Diaz makes a movement towards the ball.

Now as a defender you have got to react to that, you cannot not react to that. So, in my eyes, Diaz is active on the pitch and he is interfering with the proximity around Tarkowski. For me that is active, that shouldn't have stood. By the letter of the law and an ex-player, I'm thinking I hate this rule, it really bugs me because as I say, he did interfere.

Prav, I'm staying well out of this.

Ages ago I messed up my words and described Pickford's coming together with Van Dijk as a "tackle".

I still don't think Liverpool fans have ever forgiven me.

It was a mistake, I was rushed, I swear!

Highlighted. Thanks Kev.

Did we ever come to a consensus on the Liverpool goal by the way?

There's loads of us online today and there's power in numbers. Surely what we say goes.

Fine effort Craig. Four hours of meticulous, top quality posts.

I'll apologise in advance for bringing the standard down.

We'll chat Liverpool for a tincy bit longer as I still want to hear your thoughts. And then it'll be on to Premier League press conference build-up.

It's been another busy morning.

That was a bit of a bonus news conference from Arne Slot as he wasn't initially down to speak today.

We have a few more news conferences on the way after lunch - with Graham Potter, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Nuno Espirito Santo getting ready to talk to you all.

I am going to get some fuel in the tank before returning for those.

In the meantime, I will leave you in the capable hands of Joe Rindl and friends.