Aston Villa v Liverpool

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Liverpool play their first Premiership game in two weeks, while Villa are hoping to bounce back from the midweek defeat to Arsenal.

The Reds lost third place to Arsenal on Wednesday and Rafa Benitez will be keen to see his side keep up their chase for a top-four finish at Villa Park.

Liverpool make the trip to Villa without Peter Crouch as he recovers from surgery on his broken nose.

Craig Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt are expected to lead the attack in the absence of Crouch.

Benitez could freshen up his side by giving Javier Mascherano a chance in midfield as he prepares for next month's UEFA Champions League quarter-final with PSV Eindhoven.

Villa boss Martin O'Neill could include former Reds favourite Patrik Berger in the starting line-up after he impressed as a substitute against Arsenal.

Martin Laursen is pushing for a recall to the side having recovered from an ankle problem.

Chris Sutton is still missing with an eye problem and Shaun Maloney is doubtful because of illness.

Source: Skysports

[Mighty T.A.L.]

O'Neill tips Reds title tilt

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill believes the current Liverpool squad is good enough to win the title.

O'Neill's troops take on Liverpool this Sunday with The Reds well out of the championship race after a mixed season domestically.

The former Celtic boss expected Liverpool to mount a stronger title tilt this term, but he believes they are not far off from finally ending their Premiership duck.

"I think you look at the start of next season and, with the squad Liverpool have, and if they get their away form right immediately, they can win the title," said O'Neill.

"Manchester United and Chelsea are fine sides and have been consistently good but I don't think Liverpool are as far away from winning the Championship as some might mention.

"It is not going to happen this season but they have brought in a lot of players and it takes time for them to gel.

"They have strengthened their squad considerably and, having had a couple of years to look at Manchester United and Chelsea, they have realised what it takes.

"They didn't win away for a while this season, and that was a bit of frustration for them, but they got it right now and are a formidable team."

O'Neill also revealed he is under no pressure from owner Randy Lerner despite their poor run of form.

Villa have only won two of their 17 games, but O'Neill insists Lerner is aware why the side are struggling.

"Randy has realised the situation. He has been involved in American football and he is well aware about the facet of winning and losing and how difficult it is," added O'Neill.

"It is not as if he was coming in here thinking `you get a couple of players in and we can go from being not so clever to being absolutely brilliant overnight'.

"Not at all. He is aware of how difficult it is and I think that is half the excitement about things for him."

Source: Skysports

[Trim]

Eh, Liverpool should win this without much problems.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Don't count on that.Never underestimate Villa.They will give us tough match.

[NJ10]

we've got a great record at Villa over the last few seasons, its vital that we keep this up if we're to have any chance of challenging Arsenal for 3rd.

*shudders at the very thought of 3rd place being our big aim*

[andy villa]

this is a bang on win for liverpool...

[Mighty T.A.L.]

I do not think we will be able to get the 3rd place this season.Arsenal show good form and just continue winning although they have many players out.Most important is to reach champions league qualify for next season.To do that we need to continue picking up points.We have to score two goals at least tomorrow.I have a feeling we won't get clean sheet this game.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Latest team news

Robbie Fowler will find himself back in the Liverpool squad for the away game at Aston Villa on Sunday, having failed to even make the bench for the last two games against Manchester United and Barcelona.

With Peter Crouch now out until the beginning of next month as he recovers from an operation to repair his broken nose, boss Rafael Benitez has little option but to recall Fowler, who many believe will not have his contract renewed in the summer.

This will be Liverpool's first match since they knocked holders Barcelona out of the Champions League, and the Merseysiders will need to improve on a recent run of four points from the last 12 that has allowed Arsenal to claim third spot from them in the Premier League.

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill will check on the fitness of midfielder Shaun Maloney before finalising his side.

The former Celtic player was ruled out of the midweek home defeat by Arsenal through illness which confined him to bed.

He was able to take part in an internal practice game on Thursday but O'Neill will monitor his progress over the next 24 hours.

Central defender Martin Laursen is again sidelined with a hamstring injury but should be fit to face Everton after the international break.

Aston Villa (from): Sorensen, Taylor, Bardsley, Hughes, Mellberg, Cahill, Ridgewell, Bouma, Samuel, Agbonlahor, Petrov, McCann, Barry, Berger, Davis, Osbourne, Carew, Young, Moore, Angel.

Liverpool (from): Reina, Arbeloa, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Agger, Riise, Aurelio, Pennant, Sissoko, Gerrard, Alonso, Bellamy, Kuyt, Fowler, Dudek, Mascherano, Zenden, Gonzalez.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Liverpool: José Reina; Steve Finnan, Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger, John Arne Riise; Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano, Momo Sissoko,
Fabio Aurelio; Dirk Kuyt, Craig Bellamy

Subs: Jerzy Dudek, Sami Hyypiä, Xabi Alonso, Jermaine Pennant,
Robbie Fowler

[Olzy]

Liverpool to win.

Villa are playing 4-5-1 and hitting it up long to Carew so far in the first 10 mins.

[mr.watford]

Originally Posted by Olzy

Villa are playing 4-5-1 and hitting it up long to Carew so far in the first 10 mins.

total football.

[Olzy]

no way. Ashley Young must of introduced the long ball and slices into the ground to Villa

Agblonghor just did a Doyley long slice into the ground.

I was expecting some good football from Villa, the way Andy was going on how his team is such a joy to watch, so far very dissapointed. But it's very early in the game. But only player who looks good is Barry at the moment.

Liverpool are so well drilled though, great organisation at the back.

[Olzy]

Liverpool should be beating these really despite no real chances yet. Need to bring on an attacking option 2nd half perhaps?

[andy villa]

that was the worst game of football i have ever witnessed...

both sides deserved to lose, because both sides were crap and didnt put in any effort at all...

crap negative tactics from both managers, and some awful lacklustre performances from both sets of players...

pure shit...

oh, and the ref not giving us a stonewaller pen in the first half, means he was shit too..

nice to see the watford boys having a sense of humour... was expecting some kind of response like this from you...

difference being though fellas, is that "performance", isnt the norm to how we play...

and i dont think the manager is a tactical genius because of playing shit but fluking a result...

personally, im very dissapointed that we appeared to be playing for a draw...

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Aston Villa 0-0 Liverpool

Liverpool were held to a goalless draw by Aston Villa in a lackadaisical encounter at Villa Park in the Premiership this afternoon.

The visitors enjoyed the majority of possession and made an encouraging start to the game but it soon turned into a bitty affair with chances at a premium.

Liverpool's best chance came in the 89th minute when substitute Robbie Fowler saw a close range header turned around the post by goalkeeper Thomas Sorenson.

Rafael Benitez handed Javier Mascherano a start in the centre of midfield alongside Momo Sissoko with Steven Gerrard on the right and Fabio Aurelio on the left. Craig Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt were partnered in attack.

Steve Finnan, Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger and John Arne Riise made up the back four with Pepe Reina in goal.

Liverpool created a good opening early on when Riise's cross from the left was met by the head of the unmarked Kuyt, eight yards out. However, the Dutchman appeared to misjudge his attempt and the ball went high and wide. Earlier, Riise had stung the palms of Sorenson with a powerful effort from distance.

Villa's defence looked uncomfortable in the opening stages and Bellamy almost made them pay for the hesitancy between goalkeeper and defender when he raced onto a long ball that he really shouldn't have gotten too but Sorenson managed to get a block in as the Welsh striker attempted to round him.

The home team thought that they should have been awarded a penalty at the end of the first half when Stilian Petrov claimed he was tripped by Carragher inside the box following a goal mouth scramble.

Benitez decided to move Gerrard into a more central role at the start of the second period, with Kuyt mo ving out wide, but game was devoid of any real quality in the final third.

Olof Mellberg headed straight at Reina from a Villa free-kick in what was to be the first and only save the Spanish custodian would have to make all afternoon while, at the other end, Gerrard drilled wide from 20 yards.

Villa introduced ex-Red Patrik Berger into the fray towards the end and the Czech forward tried his luck on three occasions from distance without hitting the target.

With a minute to go Fowler, on for Gerrard, combined with another substitute Jermaine Pennant but his close range header was turned around the post by a good save from Sorenson.

Afterwards, Benitez said: "I think the only positive is that we got a point. When you don't play well and can't win the game then it's important to take a point.

"It's clear that it wasn't a good game and we weren't able to create chances. We wanted to start with a high tempo but it didn't happen.

"Robbie almost scored at the end but it wasn't to be. Sometimes when you don't play well it takes just one moment to win it and Robbie came close.

"We talked before the game about winning and that was our aim. We knew Bolton had l