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 Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:39 pm Post subject: Liverpool 3 Aston Villa 1 |
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October 28, 2006
RAFA BENITEZ'S Liverpool hit back at their critics by inflicting Villa's first defeat of the season.
First-half goals from Dirk Kuyt, Peter Crouch and Luis Garcia put the Reds in control.
Gabriel Agbonlahor nicked one back as Martin O'Neill's men gave the Kop a second-half scare.
But following on from the inept defeat to Manchester United last week and the shock of reading of a boardroom split over his methods, boss Benitez wore a broad smile at Anfield.
The Reds were clearly fired up from the first whistle, with the fans also showing their support for under-fire Benitez.
Inside the opening few minutes, Kuyt fired just over and John Arne Riise did the same twice in quick succession.
Thomas Sorensen had to be alert to deny Kuyt, Crouch bounced his header over the bar before Liverpool grabbed a deserved lead.
Jamie Carragher's ball into the box was knocked down by Crouch and Kuyt controlled instantly on his chest and despatched into the far corner from 18 yards.
Crouch saw two more chances go begging but on 38 minutes he finally got his goal.
Steve Finnan’s low cross came in from the right and Crouch met the ball 12 yards out and saw a hooked effort bounce away from Sorensen’s dive to his left.
Two minutes before the break, the home side stunned Villa with a brilliant passing move for the third.
Steven Gerrard surged from midfield and found Crouch, who shifted the ball into Garcia’s path and the Spaniard coolly lifted beyond Sorensen.
Villa boss O'Neill made a double change at the break, swapping strikers Juan Pablo Angel and Milan Baros for Chris Sutton and Didier Agathe.
Agbonlahor switched from a wide role to join Sutton in attack and the new front pairing immediately linked up as Sutton found the youngster, who slotted past Jose Reina.
Kuyt, Xabi Alonso, Riise and Sami Hyypia all had chances but by now there was a nagging doubt that things could go wrong for Liverpool.
They worsened when Luis Garcia was put in by Gerrard and managed to flick his shot wide of the far post.
Villa were sensing a miracle recovery and almost scored again on 71 minutes when Stilian Petrov’s corner was met by Sutton with a near-post header, but Reina produced a stunning save to his right.
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