Liverpool vs Aston Villa
Match pulse
LIVAttacking pressure by 5 minutes
Who won: Aston Villa 3-1
Aston Villa beat Liverpool 3-1 on Monday, August 24, 2009 at Anfield. Goals for Liverpool: Fernando Torres (72'). Goals for Aston Villa: Lucas Leiva (own goal) (34'), Curtis Davies (45'+2') and Ashley Young (75' pen).
Play by play
- 95'
Thanks very much for following the game with us tonight, but stay on the site for a full match report and all the post-match reaction as it arrives.
- 95'
We leave you with a neat little statistic: this is the first time that Liverpool have lost a Premier League game in which Fernando Torres has scored. Their previous record? Won 23, drawn 5.
- 95'
So Liverpool's 31-game unbeaten home record comes to an end, and questions will be asked of their title credentials after tonight. Villa, meanwhile, record their first victory of the season.
- 95'
FULL-TIME Liverpool suffer a second defeat in their opening three games after Villa grab a 3-1 win at Anfield. The Reds went behind to an own goal from Lucas and a header from Curtis Davies on the stroke of half-time. Fernando Torres netted a reply but, just minutes later, Steven Gerrard conceded a penalty that Ashley Young duly converted.
- 94'
The fans are streaming out of Anfield now, just seconds to go...
- 93'
A very calm piece of work from Reina as he returns a pass to Carrager under considerable pressure from Agbonlahor, but you don't get any points for artistic impression. Goals are the only currency that count and Liverpool are very much in debt tonight.
- 92'
Voronin finds Torres in the box but Cuellar blocks the Spaniard's effort as he attempts to beat Friedel. Just two minutes left for Villa to record an impressive victory.
- 90'
Skrtel shapes to shoot from 25 yards but lays the ball off. Johnson takes possession on the right wing and Liverpool win a corner that Heskey clears.
- 90'
We will have four minutes of injury time at Anfield.
- 90'
Brad Friedel produces another fine save to deny Glen Johnson from range before Babel shoots wide again. Liverpool have had 21 shots to Villa's 7, but stand to lose this game by two goals.
- 89'
Gerrard plays in Mascherano down the right and the Argentina midfielder fires in a cross that Torres heads at Friedel. Liverpool win a corner but the striker should have done better than that.
- 88'
Martin Skrtel goes into the book.
- 87'
We have three minutes of normal time left and you really have to think that is it now. Saying that, Tottenham did come from 4-1 down late on against Villa a couple of years ago, didn't they?
- 86'
James Milner helps to break up a Liverpool attack, another excellent piece of work from a player who has really impressed tonight.
- 84'
Ryan Babel taps the ball into an empty net but play had already been called back after Jamie Carragher strayed offside.
- 84'
Ryan Babel attempts an optimistic shot from 25 yards that rolls well wide of the post. It is desperation time for the Reds now.
- 82'
Dirk Kuyt throws his right leg at a deep cross and only succeeds in diverting the ball back across goal and wide. Time is running out for Liverpool now.
- 81'
Friedel pulls off a fine reflex save from close range. It is the American's 192nd consecutive Premier League game tonight, by the way.
- 80'
Martin O'Neill brings on former Liverpool stiker Emile Heskey for Ashley Young, who is forced off as a result of that tackle from Carragher.
- 80'
Dirk Kuyt dinks the ball through the legs of Carlos Cuellar and is knocked to the floor when Habib Beye comes across to defend. It was never a penalty though.
- 78'
Stiliyan Petrov is caught on the arm by a drive from Gerrard and the Bulgarian is hurt. He soldiers on though, what a trooper.
- 77'
Ashley Young hobbles off following a clumsy challenge from Carragher and Benitez is complaining about perceived timewasting on the touchlines. Meanwhile, Torres is booked for talking back to the referee.
- 76'
Gerrard has ten career goals against Villa but that was not an intervention that the Reds skipper will remember fondly.
- 76'
Rafa Benitez responds by throwing on Ryan Babel for Benayoun but it could be too little, too late for Liverpool now after that damaging setback. It really was a messy challenge from Gerrard, and you wouldn't really have expected Reo-Coker to score from that position.
- 75'
Liverpool's comeback is brutally halted in its tracks as Young produces a confident spot-kick, sending penalty specialist Reina the wrong way to make it 3-1.
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