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Jack Grealish and former Everton midfielder Ross Barkley were among the scorers
Ollie Watkins scored a hat-trick in the first half and Jack Grealish was involved in five goals as Aston Villa deservedly surprised champion Liverpool with one of the most incredible scores in Premier League history.
The former Brentford Watkins striker had never scored a goal in the Premier League before kick-off and 45 minutes later had the ball of the match as Villa took advantage of Liverpool’s high line and individual errors.
Villa captain Grealish scored his last two goals after assisting three.
- Follow the Aston Villa v Liverpool reaction live
It is the first time Liverpool have conceded seven goals since 1963 and only their fourth defeat in the Premier League since 3 January 2019. Villa, who escaped relegation on the final match day of last season, surpasses them in the standings with his best start since 1962.
Villa’s first was the result of a big mistake by Adrián. The Reds’ backup goalie passed the ball directly to Grealish, who cut it off for Watkins to make a side pass from eight yards.
Watkins’ second was excellent as he cut from the left and crashed into the top corner.
Mohamed Salah appeared to have restored order when he scored for the Reds, but John McGinn’s deflected volley two minutes later put Villa’s lead back to two.
He got even better when Watkins headed from a Trezeguet cross to become the first player to score a Premier League hat-trick against Liverpool since Dimitar Berbatov with Manchester United 10 years ago.
Villa’s rookie Ross Barkley, a childhood Evertonian, was excellent and added a fifth after the break from outside the area, from Grealish’s third assist.
Salah made it 5-2 on a pass from Roberto Firmino at the hour mark, but then Grealish crashed into Villa’s sixth before clinging to McGinn’s pass to add another.
This is the first time in 18 attempts that Villa has beaten the reigning champions at home; the last was a 3-2 win over Arsenal in December 1998.
There have been many surprising results this season, including Tottenham’s 6-1 win over Manchester United on Sunday, but none can top this for surprise value.
The game that defies all logic
This is a nonsensical result apart from the fact that Aston Villa were remarkable and clinical and Liverpool were incredibly bad.
A team that was on the verge of relegation last season beat the defending champions – who almost never lose – 7-2.
It is one thing to identify Liverpool’s weaknesses and quite another to exploit them in such a sensational way.
Villa is now undefeated in seven league games, including the streak that held them at the end of last season, and has won all three league games this season.
Dean Smith’s team managed to get behind Liverpool’s high defensive line with ease in the first half.
They got off to a dream start when Watkins stroked a starter with his left foot after an error by Adrian.
Watkins’ second came when Grealish pushed him down the left and sliced into Joe Gomez before shooting home with his right foot.
Ross Barkley blew two big scoring opportunities on his debut before Salah gave Liverpool hope.
However, they did not allow their heads to drop and moments later Barkley ran for a ball overhead and forced a save from Adrian. From his resulting corner, Gomez headed for McGinn’s path, whose volley flew through a large deflection from Virgil van Dijk.
Watkins had his perfect hat-trick, in more ways than one, before the break. Barkley raised another free throw with Villa coming back in behind. Trezeguet crossed from the byeline and Watkins was able to nod in an empty net for a perfect hat-trick, in more ways than one.
The goal was stopped after a quick video check by the assistant referee for offside.
They would surely have settled for that as the final score at halftime, but they managed to score three more. Grealish chose Barkley, whose 20-yard shot sent Trent Alexander-Arnold off the leg. Grealish then scored via a Fabinho deflection and then ran for a McGinn ball to add a famous seventh.
Watkins even crashed one off the crossbar and Bertrand Traore came close to an eighth.
And now what for Villa? With a performance like this and three wins out of three, your thoughts will be much, much higher than a relegation battle.
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Qualification Rank Key 1 = Give Up 10 = Pure Perfection
- Aston VillaAston VillaAston VillaLiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpool
Aston VillaHome XIAvgTeam Number26Player NameMartinezAverage Score
7.94
12345678910 Squad Number 2 Player Name Cash Average Rating
7.94
12345678910 Team Number4 Player Name Konsa Average Score
7.95
12345678910Team Number5Player NameMingsAverage Score
8.17
12345678910 Team Number18 Player Name Target Average Score
7.93
12345678910Team Number6Player NameDouglas LuizAverage Score
7.91
12345678910 Team Number 7 Player Name McGinn Average Rating
8.49
12345678910Team number17Player nameTrézéguetAverage score
8.18
12345678910Team Number20Player NameBarkleyAverage Score
8.57
12345678910Team Number10Player NameGrealishAverage Score
8.99
12345678910Team Number11Player NameWatkinsAverage Score
9.30
12345678910SubstitutesAvgTeam Number15Player NameTraoréAverage Score
7.66
12345678910 Squad Number 19 Player Name Nakamba Average Score
7.60
12345678910Team Number27Player NameAhmed El MohamadyAverage Score
7.51
12345678910Share your Aston Villa player scores with FacebookTwitterWhatsAppCopy and share linkLiverpoolFrom XIAvgTeam number13Player nameAdriánAverage score
2.06
12345678910 Team number 66 Player name Alexander-Arnold Average rating
2.32
12345678910Team number12Player nameGomezAverage score
1.87
12345678910Team number4Player namevan DijkAverage score
2.36
12345678910Team Number26Player NameRobertsonAverage Rating
3.08
12345678910Team Number8Player NameKeitaAverage Score
2.36
12345678910Team number3Player nameFabinhoAverage score
2.56
12345678910Team Number5Player NameWijnaldumAverage Score
2.52
12345678910Team number11Player nameMohamed SalahAverage score
5.02
12345678910Team number9Player nameRoberto FirminoAverage score
2.90
12345678910 Team Number 20 Player Name Diogo Jota Average Score
3.24
12345678910SubstitutesAvgTeam Number7Player NameMilnerAverage Score
3.30
12345678910Team Number17Player NameJonesAverage Score
2.96
12345678910Squad Number18Player NameMinaminAverage Rating
2.96
12345678910Share the ratings of your Liverpool players with FacebookTwitterWhatsAppCopy and share the link
- Lineups Match Statistics Live Text
Lineups Aston Villa
- 26Martínez2CashReplaced byEl Mohamadyat 80’minutes4Konsa5Mings18Targett6Douglas LuizReserved at 46 minutesReplaced by Nakamba in 80 minutesReserved at 90 minutes7McGinn17TrézéguetReplaced by Traoré in 87’minutes20Barkley10Grealish11Watkins
Substitutes
- 12Steer14Hourihane15Traoré19Nakamba21El Ghazi27El Mohamady39Davis
Liverpool
- 13Adrián66Alexander-Arnold12GomezReplaced byJonesat 61’minutes4van DijkReserved at 38 minutes26Robertson8KeitaReplaced byMinaminoat 45’minutes3Fabinho5Wijnaldum11Salah9FirminoReplaced byMilnerat 68’minutes20Jota
Substitutes
- 7Milner14Henderson17Jones18Minamino27Origi62Kelleher76Williams
Referee: Martin AtkinsonMatch StatsHome teamAston VillaAway teamLiverpoolPositionHome31% Away69% ShootingHome18Away14Shots on targetHome11Away8CornersHome2Away7FoulsHome7Away10Live TextPost update
End of the match, Aston Villa 7, Liverpool 2.
90 ‘+ 4’ Full time
Second half ends, Aston Villa 7, Liverpool 2.
90 ‘+ 3’Post update
Auction rejected. Attempt blocked. Bertrand Traoré (Aston Villa) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ahmed El Mohamady.
90 ‘+ 2’Post update
Auction rejected. Attempt blocked. Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
90 ‘+ 2’ Reserve
Marvelous Nakamba (Aston Villa) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
90 ‘+ 2’Post update
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90 ‘+ 2’Post update
Foul by Marvelous Nakamba (Aston Villa).
90’Post update
Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by James Milner.
89’Post update
Foul by James Milner (Liverpool).
89’Post update
Ross Barkley (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
87 ‘Substitution
Aston Villa change. Bertrand Traoré replaces Trézéguet.
85 ‘Post update
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Ahmed El Mohamady.
85 ‘Post update
Auction rejected. Attempt blocked. Jack Grealish (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
85 ‘Post update
Auction rejected. Attempt blocked. Ross Barkley (Aston Villa) left footed shot from the center of the box is blocked.
84’Post update
Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) hits the bar with a right footed shot from the center of the box. Assisted by Trézéguet with a cross.
84’Post update
Offside, Liverpool. Virgil van Dijk tries a through ball, but Takumi Minamino is caught offside.
83’Post update
Shot stopped brushing the left square. Diogo Jota (Liverpool) header from the center of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by James Milner.
82’Post update
Shot stopped brushing the left square. Marvelous Nakamba (Aston Villa) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner.
81’Post update
Foul by James Milner (Liverpool).
81’Post update
Ross Barkley (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Source: bbc.com
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