Aston Villa – Liverpool

1. Join us for live commentary from 12.45 this lunchtime UK time as Aston Villa host Liverpool at Villa Park.

2. The team news is in, linging up for Villa: Sorensen, Delaney, Mellberg, Ridgewell, Barry, Davis, McCann, Bakke, Milner, Baros, Phillips. And on the subs bench: Samuel,Hendrie, Angel, Taylor, Moore.

3. And for the Reds: Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise, Gerrard, Alonso, Sissoko, Luis Garcia, Morientes, Cisse. On the bench: Dudek, Kewell, Crouch, Warnock, Zenden.

4. Referee Steve Bennett blows the whistle and we are underway

5. And for the first time this season the 'high visibility' winter ball is being used. A luminous yellow ball for a lunchtime kick-off? It must make sense to someone in a suit somewhere.

6. 1'

   Morientes and Cisse swap passes up-front before the Villa backline close them down.

7. 2'

   Peter Crouch is on bench-warming duties today against his former club - perhaps he'll get to stretch his long legs on the pitch as the game goes on. Still without a goal for Liverpool, he'd love one today.

8. 3'

   Another player facing old team-mates today: Milan Baros. The Villa man would also love a goal to prove a point to his old boss, Rafa Benitez.

9. 4'

   Luis Garcia and Morientes spark a move for Liverpool which includes some sweet passing and results in a fine drive from range by Garcia - it would have been a great goal, but the shot was just wide of a diving Sorensen.

10. 5'

    Villa press forward, stung by the early shot from Liverpool. Riise, at left back, hammers a clearance.

11. 6'

    Mohammed Sissoko shows good strength to hold off two Villa midfielders before passing the ball wide.

12. 7'

    Xabi Alonso tries an inventive pass in behind Liam Ridgewell but none of his team-mates read the play - a bit too clever for an early kick-off: some of the players look half asleep.

13. 8'

    James Milner fails to control a crossfield ball from Eirik Bakke, back after missing almost all of last season with injury.

14. 9'

    Well, while the games gets going it time for a fact, so here goes: Today is David O'Leary's 100th game in charge of Aston Villa. Not a great fact, but a fact all the same.

15. 10'

    Gareth Barry with a nice bit of covering denies Cisse the chance of latching onto a Sissoko pass which he'd gathered after some slick passing from Gerrard and Alsonso.

16. 11'

    Slightly stilted atmosphere inside Villa Park at the moment, perhaps because the visitors are on top so far.

17. 12'

    The ref has shown Gareth Barry a yellow card for an over-the-top challenge.

18. 13'

    A wonderful all from Alonso finds Finnan on the right flank, but the cross finds Gerrard and his arm - handball.

19. 14'

    Gerrard, playing in a right-sided roll today, wins the Reds (playing in white today) a corner

20. 15'

    The corner comes to nothing and Villa build from the back

21. 15'

    Now Villa have a corner which Milner takes

22. 15'

    Olof Mellberg gets his head to the deadball, but fails to use possession

23. 16'

    Liverpool keeper Jose Reina punches the ball clear after a freekick wide on the left was fired into the danger area

24. 17'

    Cisse and Morientes look like they understand one-another's game. Limking up well, but Cisse seems a bit uncomfortable, possibly having picked up a knock.

25. 18'

    Still the crowd are yet to get behind the home team - all the songs being sung have a Scouse lilt to them.

26. 20'

    Offside given against Luis Garcia - lucky for Ridgewell who had his hands full of Garcia's shirt and would have been booked but for the offside ruling

27. 21'

    A superb tackle by Jamie Carragher on former team-mate Milan Baros saves Liverpool - what a defender he is. Baros was almost clean through on goal when Carragher got his foot on the ball to deny the Czech.

28. 22'

    Another yellow card for a Villa man. This time Gavin McCann for a late slide on Riise, not malicious, just clumsy.

29. 23'

    And now a yellow card for Sissoko for dragging down Milan Baros in full flight.

30. 24'

    McCann shows some strenghten and skill to rob Sissoko, turn and break forward

31. 25'

    Alsonso concedes a freekick in a dangerous area on the Villa left

32. 26'

    Milner fires in a terrific ball from the freekick and Kevin Phillips is unlucky to see his header fly just wide. Surely the tall Liverpool defenders should be winning headers before the shorter Phillips?

33. 27'

    Finnan takes a throw-in in an advanced position, but Bakke is in no mood to give Gerrard any space to create

34. 28'

    Sorensen gathers ahead of Morientes who just failed to latch on to a clever through ball

35. 29'

    Both Bakke and Delaney are let down by poor first touches in the Liverpool half, and the visitors are left unthreatened

36. 30'

    Good save from Sorensen, but perhaps Cisse should have scored: he was clean through after being picked out by a superb long ball. Sorensen not happy with his defenders!

37. 31'

    Alsonso wins a midfield tussle, but the Villa players thought ref should have blown for high feet.

38. 32'

    Offside given against Cisse - both Ridgwell and Barry look uncertain of eachothers' positions.

39. 33'

    Phillips, playing deep, looks to release Mark Delaney on the right hand side

40. 34'

    Steve Bennett brings Delaney and Gerrard together for a few soothing words to prevent tempers from boiling over.

41. 35'

    Davies and Bakke link-up well and threaten to release Delaney - but Alsono is in with a smart tackle as the game finally begins to spark into live.

42. 36'

    Offside given against Phillips - lucky for the Liverpool centre halves, who in trying to cut out a pass for the striker, both managed to fall over

43. 38'

    More good stuff from Alonso, but he goes unrewarded. He is one of Rafa's signings who always looks to give his all and always wants to see the ball and get involved in the action and the hardwork.

44. 39'

    Hyypia and Finnan gets the ball into a good position, but Cisse doesn't read it and it is a goalkick

45. 40'

    Rafa's had enough of the 4-4-2 he started the game with and has switched it for a 4-3-3 in an effort to bring Gerrard inside from the right and get him more involved in the game.

46. 41'

    Liverpool switch play from left to right with some nice passing across the back

47. 42'

    Gerrard fires the ball into the net, but he was in an offside position. A close call but the right one.

48. 43'

    A great chance goes begging for Villa: Bakke was released and got passed both Riise and Gerrard, but his attackers could do nothing with the great ball he fired in.

49. 44'

    McCann fires a shot on goal from distance, but the effort creaps wide of Reina's left post.

50. 44'

    Just 1 minute of added time signalled.

51. 44'

    Tennacious play from Baros sees him get by Hyypia at the thrid time of asking after collect a through ball from Phillips.

52. 45'

    And that't the halftime whistle.

53. 45'

    Not a classic, but there you go. Villa seem to be lacking confidence, but if they can win the midfield battle they look likely to create chances.

54. 45'

    Liverpool have looked toothless upfront; where's Michael Owen when you need him?

55. 45'

    Baros and Gerrard share a handshake as the players ready themselves for second half, but some pretty ladies with flags from a sponsor are yet to leave the pitch - the ref looks dis-pleased!

56. 45'

    The whistle blows and we're back underway

57. 45'

    Strange decision given there against Cisse when Barry was the one slowing play down by smothering the ball under his body!

58. 46'

    Liverpool win a corner, which Alsonso takes and Delaney clears.

59. 46'

    Stop everything - Morientes has just broken into a run! Whatever next! Maybe he'll win a tackle, or, if we're lucky, have a shot! He has been very lacklustre today. Bring on freakshow Crouch!

60. 47'

    Cisse given offside after getting his timing wrong chasing a Hyypia pass from the back.

61. 48'

    Luis Garcia looks in trouble after taking a whack on the calf - he's down taking treatment.

62. 49'

    Amazingly the freekick went against him - strange as Delaney appeared to be the aggressor

63. 50'

    A decent attack from Liverpool with Gerrard and Cisse making a nuisance of themselves, but Cisse makes the wrong decision and Villa clear.

64. 51'

    Baros shows his pace by chasing down a seemingly lost cause - he doesn't reach the ball before Reina but good running from the Villa forward, which Morientes would do well to copy

65. 52'

    Benitez looks on with furrowed-brow from the touchline before barking a few instructions. He seems frustrated that for all the Reds' possession they have yet to really threaten the Villa goal.

66. 53'

    Davis wins a corner off Sissoko. Milner takes low and hard, McCann tries to get a shot off, but it is too strong for him to control and the half-chance goes begging.

67. 54'

    Superb work from Baros, who showed strength and skill to hold off Hyypia before feeding the ball to Davis

68. 55'

    Liverpool lacking that clinical edge fail to make the most of a Gerrard inspires attack - both Garcia and Cisse failing to convert time, space and possession into a chance to strike.

69. 56'

    Garcia, who took a knock a few minutes ago, has been forced to give in and is substituted, Boudewijn Zended is on in his place.

70. 57'

    Morientes, to his credit, creates a chance for himself after some slack keeping from Sorensen, but the striker's scuffed shot kept low and the Villa keeper gathered to spare his blushes.

71. 58'

    Carragher goes for the 'hollywood' ball from deep, but Cisse fails to latch onto the ambitious pass.

72. 59'

    Time for a change for Villa - off goes Phillips, who has worked hard today, and on comes Juan Pablo Angel, who is yet to score this season.

73. 60'

    Baros and Alonso have a difference of opinion on Baros' theatrical tumble under the ref's nose.

74. 61'

    You sense that Villa's poor run of late has affected confidence, and that is manifesting itself today: Liverpool might not react well to sustained pressure, but Villa are on the backfoot, despite being the home side.

75. 62'

    Sorensen spoons a backpass into the crowd - he shoots a fearsome glare at the defender who passed it back to his weaker foot.

76. 63'

    Liverpool loose momentum as Alsonso switches play from right to left, but fires the ball behind the un-rushing Riise.

77. 64'

    Liverpool should have done better with the ammount of possession they have enjoyed.

78. 65'

    Groans being registered by both sets of fans; both regarding the other team as being there for the taking.

79. 66'

    Carragher blocks a good shot from Baros; The ball falls to Angel who is closed down by the keeper and a defender but opts to shoot despite this close attention when Baros was unmarked inside him.

80. 67'

    And it's time for Peter Crouch to join the game!

81. 68'

    Crouch is on in place of Morientes, who one can only describe as tepid at best.

82. 69'

    'Villa, Villa, Villa, Villa!' call the crowd as the game threatens to come to life

83. 70'

    In a dangerous position Angel this time sees the unmarked Baros but fails to find him with a pass.

84. 70'

    Utterly superb save from Sorensen low to his left! Gerrard began the move, got the ball back from the byline and hammered a screamer in on goal from just inside the area, but the Villa keeper made a stunning save.

85. 71'

    Just a moment aftet Sorensen's stunning save Villa contrive to foul-up a decent chance, with Baros unable to get the ball down. The game is coming to life at last!

86. 72'

    As both side press forward the game is becoming stretched and providing the other with space to exploit.

87. 73'

    Another decent save from Sorensen, this time former Villa striker Crouch directs a weak header on goal as he tires to break his duck for the season.

88. 75'

    Another change; this time Cisse is the man to give way to lukewarm applause. On in his place, to even weaker applause in Harry Kewell.

89. 76'

    The stadium announcer tells us that 42,000 people are inside Villa Park today. For the main part they've kept pretty quiet as the game has failed to deliver, but the game has gone up a few notches in the last 10 minutes, maybe we'll get a goal yet!

90. 77'

    Kewell and Crouch seem to be the Liverpool strikers with Gerrard in an advanced position ahead of the midfield. Will this attack work?

91. 78'

    Kewell loses out to some hussling defensive work; but in fairness perhaps he needs a second or two more to get into the game's tempo.

92. 79'

    Excellent covering work from Carragher to cut out a chance for Villa.

93. 80'

    Ten minutes to go: Come on, give us a goal, please.

94. 81'

    Some scrappy tussling in the midfield ends with Kewell handling.

95. 82'

    Another change. Villa bring on Lee Hendrie to a warm roar of approval, off goes Bakke who has played quite well today.

96. 83'

    Nice footwork from Crouch and he gets the ball out wide.

97. 83'

    Penalty to Liverpool!

98. 83'

    Zenden fired in a cross from the left wing and Ridgewell, grappled with then collapsed on top of Crouch in the area. Gerrard to take the spot kick...

99. 84'

    Gerrard scores! He sent the Villa keeper the wrong way slotting his shot low to the right; great pen.

100. 85'

     Ridgwell will no doubt feel hard done by on the penatly decision, but a Liverpool goal is probably a fair reflection of the game.

101. 86'

     Barry cuts across Crouch to cut out a through ball from Gerrard - the Liverpool fans growl that a freekick was not given, but the challenge by the makeshift Villa left-back was a fair one.

102. 87'

     Time running out for Villa to get a goal back and frustratingly for David O'Leary, it's all Liverpool.

103. 88'

     And Alonso doubles the score - 2-0 Liverpool!

104. 88'

     Weak keeping from Sorensen. He failed to stop a shot from outside the box from Alonso, despite being in position to stop the shot; poor.

105. 89'

     'You'll never walk alone' rings out as the Villa fans head for the exits. Three minutes of added time to be played.

106. 90'

     'We are the Champions, Champions of Europe' brag the Liverpool fans, but they looked well short of class for much of the match. Still, the win is all-but secured now, despite a lacklustre 70-minute spell.

107. 91'

     Barry battles hard not to concede a corner under pressure from Crouch

108. 93'

     And that's the final whistle. Liverpool steal the points.

109. 93'

     A Gerrard penalty and a shot from Alonso means that Liverpool have finally won a weekend match following a European fixture earlier in the week.

110. 93'

     Villa were far from terrible today, but without confidence they never really threatened on more than two or three occasions. O'Leary must try to boost his side somehow or he could be facing a tough season.

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