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Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Aston Villa’s Matt Targett during the Premier League match at Villa Park in Birmingham in October 2020.
Liverpool’s The 100 percent start of the Premier League season came to a staggering end when Ollie watkins The hat-trick of the first half helped Aston Villa crushes the English champions 7-2 on Sunday.
HOW IT HAPPENED | Aston Villa 7-2 Liverpool
The devious efforts of John McGinn, Ross Barkley and Jack Grealish compounded a night to forget for Jurgen Klopp’s men before Grealish completed the score.
It is the first time Liverpool have conceded seven goals in a match since 1963.
The Reds were not defeated until their 28th league game in pursuit of the title last season.
But a good start to the title defense was undone without injured goalkeeper Alisson Becker and with Thiago Alcantara and Sadio Mane unavailable due to coronavirus infections.
Alisson’s absence had a resounding impact after just four minutes to put Villa in front when Grealish took advantage of a poor pass from Adrian, who squared for the former Watkins to score his first Premier League goal.
Mane was also lost at the other end when Liverpool besieged Villa’s goal, but opened too easily on the counter.
Barkley should have opened up his Villa account twice in the first half as he fired shots from close range on either side of Watkins’ second.
Grealish was again the creator with a long ball down the side of Liverpool’s defense and the former Brentford striker cut inward before shooting into the top corner.
Mohamed Salah appeared to have given the visitors a foothold in the match when he smashed his trusty left foot after Mane’s substitute Diogo Jota tried to make his way into the penalty area.
But Villa quickly regained his mattress of two goals when an effort by John McGinn from the edge of the area was diverted towards Virgil van Dijk.
Liverpool’s high line was being trapped even on set pieces, as six minutes before half-time Trezeguet broke the offside trap to cross for Watkins and become the first player in a decade to score a hat-trick. ‘against Liverpool.
Fortune favored Villa’s desire not to just lead after the break when Barkley’s long-range effort edged past the defenseless Adrian to make it 5-1.
Salah stayed sharp in front of goal to get close to one of 100 for Liverpool with a brilliant pass shot from Roberto Firmino.
Having seen enough of Joe Gomez, Klopp moved midfielder Firmino to his back four early in the second half, but did nothing to stop the flow of Villa’s attacks through his defense.
Grealish completed a deflected hat-trick when his shot hit Fabinho and missed again at Adrian.
Watkins missed two big chances to score his fourth when Adrian saved a one-on-one before hitting the crossbar.
Grealish, however, was more clinical when he ran to round out a notable victory.
Villa stayed up by just one point on the final day of last season, but have now won their first three games of the new league campaign to move to second place.
