After their opening-round defeat at Tottenham Hotspur, many a question was raised about Liverpool’s title credentials. The departed Xabi Alonso was sorely missed at White Hart Lane, and pundits nationwide wondered aloud whether anyone in Rafael Benitez’s squad could fill the void.
Some of those questions were answered with authority on Wednesday night as the Reds stormed to a 4-0 victory over Stoke City, against whom they failed to score a single goal last season. And all of a sudden, the men from Merseyside are title contenders once more.
It proved a double good night for ‘Pool in light of Manchester United’s shock defeat at Burnley, and they will want to keep pace with their North West rivals – who thumped Wigan Athletic on the weekend – by claiming the points when they face Aston Villa this Monday.
Benitez & Co. have every right to feel confident heading into the clash; for not only are the Birmingham side yet to record a victory this season, they were on the receiving end of a 5-0 drubbing at Anfield last time these two teams met.
Unfortunately for Villa, they have started new season much as they finished old one. Two games in, they have yet to record a victory – defeat at the hands of Wigan Athletic last weekend was swiftly followed by a first-leg loss at Rapid Wien in Europa League qualifying.
Tipped to be among that ever-expanding pack of teams pushing to crack open the top four, the Villans will have to lift their game considerably if they hope to keep up with the likes of Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in particular.
They face a tough test this week at Liverpool, but Martin O’Neill believes that his men are well capable of bouncing back from their early disappointments and securing a result against last term’s Premier League runners-up.
The Ulsterman said recently, "Last season we beat Manchester City at home, we then went to Stoke and got beaten by a very late goal and that was dispiriting to lose it. Then we fought back against Liverpool and drew at home with them... We’re capable of getting over it."
FORM GUIDE
Liverpool
Aug 19 Liverpool 4-0 Stoke City (Premier League)
Aug 16 Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
Aug 08 Liverpool 1-2 Atletico Madrid (Friendly)
Aug 05 FC Lyn 0-2 Liverpool (Friendly)
Aug 02 Espanyol 3-0 Liverpool (Friendly)
Aston Villa
Aug 20 Rapid Wien 1-0 Aston Villa (Europa League)
Aug 15 Aston Villa 0-2 Wigan Athletic (Premier League)
Aug 08 Aston Villa 1-0 Fiorentina (Friendly)
Aug 04 Oxford United 2-0 Aston Villa (Friendly)
Aug 02 Juventus 0-0* Aston Villa (Friendly)
TEAM NEWS
Liverpool
There are big concerns for Benitez at the back, as Daniel Agger is scheduled to undergo back surgery and will miss around six weeks. With Martin Skrtel still sporting a sore jaw, youngster Daniel Ayala could retain his place at centre-back.
Sotirios Kyrgiakos may get the nod instead, however, if all his paperwork is approved in time. The Greek defender has just signed for the Reds from AEK Athens in a deal reported to be worth €3 million.
Fernando Torres required stitches after a nasty head-clash in the Stoke game, but the Spanish striker is expected to start against Villa. Fabio Aurelio and Alberto Aquilani remain unavailable.
Possible XI: Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Ayala, Insua; Mascherano, Lucas; Kuyt, Gerrard, Benayoun; Torres.
Aston Villa
O’Neill has problems of his own in defence, as Curtis Davies is set to miss out after re-injuring his shoulder during the midweek defeat in Vienna.
The inexperienced Shane Lowry could replace the former West Bromwich Albion stopper, although the gaffer also has the option of moving Habib Beye into the centre and shifting Luke Young to right-back.
John Carew is yet to play this season, having hobbled out of pre-season with a foot injury. A virus kept him off the plane to Austria, and he remains uncertain to make the trip to Merseyside.
Possible XI: Friedel; L. Young, Beye, Cuellar, Shorey; Milner, Petrov, Reo-Coker, A. Young; Agbonlahor, Heskey.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Glen Johnson (Liverpool)
The England right-back has begun his Anfield career on the right and is high on life after a magnificent display against Stoke in midweek. He has brought a different dimension to his new side’s attacking play, but it will be interesting to see how his defensive game stands up against Villa.
Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
This is the man who could potentially expose whatever weaknesses Johnson possesses. The speedy winger will hurt you if given any space, and his crossing and set-piece delivery could pose problems for Liverpool’s injury-hit back line.
Some of those questions were answered with authority on Wednesday night as the Reds stormed to a 4-0 victory over Stoke City, against whom they failed to score a single goal last season. And all of a sudden, the men from Merseyside are title contenders once more.
It proved a double good night for ‘Pool in light of Manchester United’s shock defeat at Burnley, and they will want to keep pace with their North West rivals – who thumped Wigan Athletic on the weekend – by claiming the points when they face Aston Villa this Monday.
Benitez & Co. have every right to feel confident heading into the clash; for not only are the Birmingham side yet to record a victory this season, they were on the receiving end of a 5-0 drubbing at Anfield last time these two teams met.
Unfortunately for Villa, they have started new season much as they finished old one. Two games in, they have yet to record a victory – defeat at the hands of Wigan Athletic last weekend was swiftly followed by a first-leg loss at Rapid Wien in Europa League qualifying.
Tipped to be among that ever-expanding pack of teams pushing to crack open the top four, the Villans will have to lift their game considerably if they hope to keep up with the likes of Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in particular.
They face a tough test this week at Liverpool, but Martin O’Neill believes that his men are well capable of bouncing back from their early disappointments and securing a result against last term’s Premier League runners-up.
The Ulsterman said recently, "Last season we beat Manchester City at home, we then went to Stoke and got beaten by a very late goal and that was dispiriting to lose it. Then we fought back against Liverpool and drew at home with them... We’re capable of getting over it."
FORM GUIDE
Liverpool
Aug 19 Liverpool 4-0 Stoke City (Premier League)
Aug 16 Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
Aug 08 Liverpool 1-2 Atletico Madrid (Friendly)
Aug 05 FC Lyn 0-2 Liverpool (Friendly)
Aug 02 Espanyol 3-0 Liverpool (Friendly)
Aston Villa
Aug 20 Rapid Wien 1-0 Aston Villa (Europa League)
Aug 15 Aston Villa 0-2 Wigan Athletic (Premier League)
Aug 08 Aston Villa 1-0 Fiorentina (Friendly)
Aug 04 Oxford United 2-0 Aston Villa (Friendly)
Aug 02 Juventus 0-0* Aston Villa (Friendly)
TEAM NEWS
Liverpool
There are big concerns for Benitez at the back, as Daniel Agger is scheduled to undergo back surgery and will miss around six weeks. With Martin Skrtel still sporting a sore jaw, youngster Daniel Ayala could retain his place at centre-back.
Sotirios Kyrgiakos may get the nod instead, however, if all his paperwork is approved in time. The Greek defender has just signed for the Reds from AEK Athens in a deal reported to be worth €3 million.
Fernando Torres required stitches after a nasty head-clash in the Stoke game, but the Spanish striker is expected to start against Villa. Fabio Aurelio and Alberto Aquilani remain unavailable.
Possible XI: Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Ayala, Insua; Mascherano, Lucas; Kuyt, Gerrard, Benayoun; Torres.
Aston Villa
O’Neill has problems of his own in defence, as Curtis Davies is set to miss out after re-injuring his shoulder during the midweek defeat in Vienna.
The inexperienced Shane Lowry could replace the former West Bromwich Albion stopper, although the gaffer also has the option of moving Habib Beye into the centre and shifting Luke Young to right-back.
John Carew is yet to play this season, having hobbled out of pre-season with a foot injury. A virus kept him off the plane to Austria, and he remains uncertain to make the trip to Merseyside.
Possible XI: Friedel; L. Young, Beye, Cuellar, Shorey; Milner, Petrov, Reo-Coker, A. Young; Agbonlahor, Heskey.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Glen Johnson (Liverpool)
The England right-back has begun his Anfield career on the right and is high on life after a magnificent display against Stoke in midweek. He has brought a different dimension to his new side’s attacking play, but it will be interesting to see how his defensive game stands up against Villa.
Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
This is the man who could potentially expose whatever weaknesses Johnson possesses. The speedy winger will hurt you if given any space, and his crossing and set-piece delivery could pose problems for Liverpool’s injury-hit back line.
1 comment:
I hope Benayoun will start and not Babel. Babel plays bad.
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