Anfield - Liverpool 0 Aston Villa 1 (Agbonlahor 9)
Sumber:Eurosport & dailymail
Aston Villa dished out the rough stuff to Mario Balotelli and Liverpool, but can claim the tactic was justified as Paul Lambert's men climbed to second in the Premier League following captain Gabby Agbonlahor's shock winner. Balotelli, making his Anfield debut after a £16million move from AC Milan, appeared to be targeted by Villa to try and make him lose his temper, particularly when Philippe Senderos kicked him off the ball.
Gabby Agbonlahor fired a scrappy winner as Aston Villa moved up to second and continued their impressive early season form with a surprise 1-0 victory at Liverpool.
The 27-year-old forward, who signed a new four-year contract earlier in the week, reacted quickest to stab in from close range on nine minutes after Philippe Senderos' knock down was not cleared by a static Reds defence.
The Swiss centre back was a constant menace to Brendan Rodgers' men as they struggled to cope with set pieces throughout and he should have doubled the Villans' tally when he somehow ballooned a free header over the bar from eight yards out. He was also fortunate to avoid a possible red card in the first half when he appeared to kick out at Mario Balotelli off the ball.
The hosts had been hoping to build on a superb 3-0 triumph at Tottenham prior to the international break but struggled to carve out chances with Balotelli starved of service on an uneventful home bow.
Adam Lallana, who was making his full debut for Liverpool, did go close with a rasping 25 yard drive while Philippe Coutinho hit the post late on, but in truth Villa were full value for their hard-fought win as the Reds struggled to find a cutting edge without the injured Daniel Sturridge.
KEY MOMENTS
PRE-MATCH - Debuts galore! Liverpool hand full debuts to summer signings Adam Lallana and Lazar Markovic (first start) while Mario Balotelli makes his home bow. There is also a surprise omission from the Reds' starting XI as Raheem Sterling, who has starred for club and country in recent months, drops to the bench. Meanwhile, Tom Cleverley, on-loan from Manchester United, makes his maiden appearance in a Villa shirt.
6' - LIVERPOOL CHANCE! Manquillo clips a ball into the area towards Balotelli but Markovic got there first and miscued his header wide. The Italian was probably in a better position to score.
9' - GOAL! LIVERPOOL 0-1 ASTON VILLA. The visitors lead! It's a scrappy goal, but they won't care. Senderos sees his stooping header from a corner hit a red shirt and fall for Agbonlahor who manages to stab the ball into the net from close range. Poor defending by Lovren and then Sakho from Liverpool's point of view.
13' - ASTON VILLA CHANCE. It should be two! Westwood floats the free kick into the box for a completely unmarked Senderos who somehow heads over the top with the goal gaping. A glorious opening wasted.
22' - SHOULD VILLA BE DOWN TO 10 MEN? Villa could easily be a man down as Senderos foolishly kicks out at Balotelli. The Italian goes down but the referee didn't see the off-the-ball incident. Strange from the Swiss, very strange! He's got away with that one.
32' - LIVERPOOL CHANCE! Coutinho dinks a neat ball into the area for Henderson's diagonal run. The England man nods it back for Lallana whose side-foot attempt is blocked by Senderos from eight yards out.
43' - CLOSE! Lallana lets fly with a volley from 25 yards that arrows inches past the post. Good effort. Could have been the perfect way to cap his Reds bow!
78' - LIVERPOOL HALF CHANCE. A poor header from Cissokho gift-wraps a ball through for Sterling but the winger's touch is poor and the chance goes begging as Guzan comes to gather.
82' - OFF THE POST! Coutinho jinks left and right before cutting in from the flank and curling in a shot that clips Senderos and crashes back off the post. Unlucky for Liverpool.
PLAYER RATINGS
LIVERPOOL: Mignolet 5, Manquillo 6, Moreno 6, Lovren 5, Sakho 5, Gerrard 6, Henderson 6, Coutinho 6, Markovic 5, Lallana 6, Balotelli 5. Subs: Sterling 6, Lambert 5, Borini 5.
ASTON VILLA: Guzan 7, Hutton 7, Baker 8, Senderos 7, Cissokho 7, Westwood 7, Delph 7, Cleverley 6, Richardson 6, Agbonlahor 7, Weimann 6. Subs: N'Zogbia 6, Sanchez n/a, Bent n/a.
Steven Gerrard gives Mario Balotelli a pep talk before the match kicks off between Liverpool and Aston Villa on Saturday evening at Anfield in the Premier League
Brendan Rodgers wasn't looking happy during the 1-0 loss to Aston Villa at Anfield - Liverpool's second defeat of the still-young Premier League season
Raheem Sterling had about 30 minutes to make an impact after coming on as a substitute in the place of Adam Lallana on Saturday evening in the Premier League
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