Daniel Sturridge scored twice to help ease the pressure off manager Brendan Rodgers in Liverpool's 3-2 victory over Aston Villa at Anfield this afternoon.
James Milner opened the scoring inside two minutes, and while Rudy Gestede was able to pull back two goals for the visitors, it was not enough to cause an upset on Merseyside.
The Reds have ended their four-game run in the Premier League without a win, while Villa have recorded their fifth defeat of the season.
Below, Sports Mole analyses the action that unfolded at Anfield.
Match statistics
LIVERPOOL
Shots: 21
On target: 12
Possession: 62%
Corners: 11
Fouls: 8
ASTON VILLA
Shots: 10
On target: 4
Possession: 38%
Corners: 1
Fouls: 13
Was the result fair?
The result indicates that the game was more competitive than it actually was. For large chunks of the game, Liverpool were in control as they immediately went on the frontfoot following Milner's second-minute strike. Villa gave the hosts plenty of time and space on the ball and struggled to look threatening. The Reds unleashed waves of attack during spells of the game, but Villa's defence improved as a result.
In the second half, Sturridge struck twice, but he could have scored plenty more following an impressive display on only his second game since returning from a five-month layoff with injuries. While the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Danny Ings displayed attacking prowess, Gestede proved that the Reds can be vulnerable at the back as he scored twice to put pressure on the hosts. Overall though, Liverpool did enough to claim a deserved victory this afternoon.
LIVERPOOL's performance
After a week full of speculation on Rodgers's future, as well as a run of poor results in the league, Liverpool were desperate to win today. Goals have been hard to come by for the Reds, but it was a perfect start when Milner scored early. The players were allowed time on the ball from Villa, and Alberto Moreno particularly impressed in a wing-back position as he sent in numerous of decent crosses into the area. It is clear that Ings is growing in confidence as he was able to link up well with Sturridge, particularly in the second half.
Despite the good showing on an attacking front, the Reds still showed some problems in defence as they were caught out twice by Gestede and it could have been a different result had the Villa players taken advantage of a couple of misplaced passes, one in particular from Emre Can in the first half. The pressure may be off Rodgers slightly, but they will need to put together a string of decent performances and results to calm the speculation.
ASTON VILLA's performance
Tim Sherwood has not overseen his side claim victory since the opening weekend of the season. There was little attacking intent from Villa in the first half as the team seemed content to drop back and soak up the pressure from Liverpool and break when the opportunities came their way. That would have been a decent strategy had Milner not put the hosts ahead inside the first two minutes.
The team improved defensively as the game went on and Gestede was able to cause trouble at the other end of the pitch. He gave Villa hope by clawing back two decent goals, but Sherwood will be troubled by the amount of times that they were under the cosh. Despite conceding three goals this afternoon, Brad Guzan did well in between the sticks as he could have had many more shipped past him.
Sports Mole's man of the match
JAMES MILNER: Sturridge has a case for this after scoring two goals and came close to a hat-trick, but Milner contributed in all areas of the pitch this afternoon. His opening strike set the tone of the game and he controlled the middle of the park, as well as carrying out defensive duties to help maintain Liverpool's lead.
Biggest gaffe
There were two moments that could have proved costly for both sides. In the first half, Can's attempted clearance fell straight into the path of Gestede, who missed the target in a bid to equalise. In the second half, Jordan Veretout almost gifted Sturridge his hat-trick after his back pass went straight to the Liverpool striker, but Micah Richards was there to block the shot.
Referee performance
In a game that contained little controversy, Jonathan Moss was able to let play flow, and he did not brandish one yellow card throughout the entire contest. There was an early call for a penalty from Liverpool, but it was rightly dismissed when replays showed that Joleon Lescott fairly blocked Nathaniel Clyne's shot and did not use his arm.
What next?
LIVERPOOL: The Reds will turn their attention to the Europa League when they take on FC Sion next Thursday at Anfield.
ASTON VILLA: The Midlands side will try to turn their league form around when they host Stoke City at Villa Park next Saturday.
Danielle Joynson
