Liverpool 3 Aston Villa 0: Mat Kendrick's big match verdict and match stats

Dec 7 2010 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Mail

NEVER mind ‘This Is Anfield’, the sign Gerard Houllier was most looking forward to seeing at Liverpool last night was conspicuous by its absence – the sign that Villa are capable of turning their stuttering season around any time soon.

As emotional as it was for Houllier to see the legendary Liverpool FC greeting at the entrance to the players’ tunnel, it was a symbol, any symbol, of hope from his current club that he was crying out for.

Sadly, after kick-off, Houllier’s welcome was as warm as the weather.

Having rolled out the red carpet for their former manager before the match, Roy Hodgson’s under-achievers prompty proceeded to pull it from under Villa.  

The ‘Gerard’s Heart Beats’ banner unfurled by the Kop was a reference not only to his good health following the major surgery which cut him down during his trophy-winning prime at Liverpool, but also the lasting legacy he left the Merseyside giants after dragging them out of the doldrums.

Whether he can have the same effect with Villa remains to be seen. Despite the results there is still optimism, especially with key players to return from injury and new additions in January.

But the relegation battle which seems increasingly inevitable looks likely to test the patience of the concerned claret and blue brigade.

Goals from David Ngog and Ryan Babel during a turbulent two minute period around the quarter hour mark put the Reds on top before Maxi Rodriguez added a third early in the second half.

If Villa were looking for omens then it was a televised Monday night match at Anfield that kickstarted their campaign last season when Martin O’Neill’s team won 3-1.

Unfortunately, a repeat of the 5-0 embarrassment two years ago looked more likely as the confidence drained out of Gerard’s juniors – and the experienced players – with the concession of those two early goals.