Summary

  • Liverpool: Mignolet, Can, Skrtel, Sakho, Clyne, Lucas, Milner, Moreno, Coutinho, Ings, Sturridge.

  • Aston Villa: Guzan, Hutton, Richards, Lescott, Amavi, Sanchez, Westwood, Gana, Grealish, Gestede, Sinclair.

Live Reporting

Emlyn Begley

  1. The story of the first half

    Half-time stats#bbcfootball

  2. HALF-TIME - Liverpool 1-0 Aston Villa

    Jonathan Pearce
    BBC MOTD commentator at Anfield

    "Liverpool needed a good start and they got it. Villa have had two good chances through Rudy Gestede. This game isn’t over yet."

  3. Derek Mountfield
    Former Aston Villa defender on BBC WM

    Villa look dangerous when they get on the front foot but generally it’s too patient, Liverpool look jittery when they’re put under pressure.

    Danny IngsReuters

  4. Scott Sinclair's effort from distance is straight at keeper Simon Mignolet, but at least Villa are having a go now. Almost half-time.

  5. 'Rodgers will be frustrated'

    Liverpool 1-0 Aston Villa

    Jermaine Jenas
    Former England midfielder on Final Score

    "In terms of needing belief there's nothing better than an early goal to kick-start a good performance. I've not seen that yet. The front three of Daniel Sturridge, Danny Ings, and Philippe Coutinho sounds good on paper, but I think Rodgers will be frustrated because it's not been great to be honest."  

  6. Get Involved

  7. Alan Hutton crosses with Simon Mignolet punching the ball into the danger zone, Liverpool can't clear and Ashley Westwood's volley is deflected wide for a corner.

    The corner comes to nowt.

  8. Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho takes a shot from 25 yards, Carlos Sanchez gets his head onto it and it flies up into the air. It's looping, it's looping. Is it looping in? Yes, probably but Brad Guzan touches it over.

  9. Villa midfielder Idrissa Gana gets the ball 30 yards out but he can't find a team-mate or shoot and ends up retreating, drawing a foul on Lucas nearer halfway. But their free-kick comes to nothing.

    Idrissa GanaGetty Images

  10. Derek Mountfield
    Former Aston Villa defender on BBC WM

    This is painful and frustrating to watch at the moment Villa are really predictable and I don’t see how they are going to get on the ball and get back into the game.

  11. If you want an indication of how this game is going, Brad Guzan has played more passes than any other Villa player (12).

    In contrast Simon Mignolet has had six compared to Lucas's 36.

    Brad GuzanReuters

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  13. Liverpool - who have had two thirds of the possession so far - are dominating, although without causing problems for Brad Guzan in the Villa goal. Passing it round with ease in midfield.

  14. As you can see from the average positions of the first 25 minutes, Liverpool have done most of the attacking so far. Only two of Villa's players have made regular appearances in the Reds' half.

    Average positionsOpta

  16. Derek Mountfield
    Former Aston Villa defender on BBC WM

    That is a big miss from Rudy Gestede, the way Villa are playing, they need to take those sorts of chances. They might come to regret that miss.

  17. Villa have their second effort of the game and it's Rudy Gestede again - this time volleying wide. Alan Hutton puts in a cross for Villa, it's not great - but neither is Emre Can's clearance which lands to the summer signing on the edge of the box - but his first-time effort isn't good enough.

  18. Get Involved

    Scott SinclairReuters

  19. Game has just calmed down a bit - it was threatening to be excitingly open for a few minutes there. The problem for Villa (as is the case in a lot of games) is they rarely look like scoring.

    Idrissa Gana has been fairly quiet in Villa's midfield on his return from injury.

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