Aston Villa player ratings after disappointing Premier League defeat at Liverpool
Who saw this coming apart from everyone?
One four-match winning run and one four-matching losing run came to an end in the most predictable manner imaginable.
Aston Villa played into Liverpool’s hands in a late Saturday kick-off at Anfield and gave them a free goal just as it seemed they might get away with it.
This was a bad day at the office for Villa with few positives to take and only a couple of players really showing what they can do.
Here are the ratings:
Emiliano Martínez - 3
Lucky not to be punished for a poor kick out after 16 minutes. Nothing he could do about the disallowed Liverpool goal but wholly responsible for Mohamed Salah’s opener. Absolute clanger at the worst possible time having just seen one scrubbed off for Hugo Ekitike.
Matty Cash - 6
Quality defending on display early in the game. Deflected piledriver was deflected, saved and hit the bar all in one go in the 18th minute. Booked for holding Ekitike in the second half.
Ezri Konsa - 7
Showed calmness under a determined press. Phenomenal block in the first half immediately before Liverpool thought they’d made it 1-0. Excellent defending to hold off Ekitike in first-half stoppage time.
Pau Torres - 5
His job in the first half was mostly about hard-working shape, with Liverpool playing in front of Villa and little hands-on defending to do. No major plus or minus points. Substituted with 15 minutes left.
Lucas Digne - 4
Sold by Salah just before the break and bought every bit of it. Did the same in the early minutes of the second half. Struggled against dangerous opponents. Substituted with 15 minutes left.
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Amadou Onana - 6
Vital tracking back to keep pace with Dominik Szoboszlai in the middle of the first half before the Liverpool man nudged him into the advertising board. Defensive work was on point. Lovely incisive pass to Ross Barkley soon after Villa’s first two substitutions.
Generally a very decent performance but just one or two loose passes out of play (and a needless yellow card) to take the edge off it.
Boubacar Kamara - 5
Very good out of possession in the early going but less effective with the ball under pressure apart from one scrappy burst with 14 minutes to go.
John McGinn - 5
Physicality was an important factor in the first quarter of the match. Absolutely bodied Conor Bradley on the left on half an hour. Less of an impact after Liverpool took the lead. Substituted with half an hour left.
Evann Guessand - 4
Lack of quality in the attacking third left a few opportunities to wither. Not involved enough in possession. Stupid foul on Cody Gakpo on the edge of the Villa box in the first half. Substituted with half an hour to go.
Morgan Rogers - 7
Mostly played really well and pulled his weight off the ball. Hit the post in the fifth minute after his superb pass to Ollie Watkins started an attack. Excellent whipped cross from the right in the middle of the first half and forced a save from 25 yards.
Quieter in the second half but always Villa’s biggest threat. Yellow card for dissent.
Ollie Watkins - 5
Put himself about in the first half. Terrific link play and driving with the ball to win a free kick late in the period. Rolled Ibrahima Konaté wide on the Villa left early in the second half but ultimately made a minimal impression on the match. Substituted with 15 minutes left.
Substitutes
Donyell Malen (for Guessand, 59) - Ripped a shot wide from The Malen Position in the 70th minute before moving to centre-forward. 6
Ross Barkley (for McGinn, 59) - Tame shot on target from 25 yards with his first involvement. Blazed over with 12 to go. 6
Ian Maatsen (for Digne, 75) - Important defensive header soon after coming on and engaged well with Salah as well as looking to get forward. 6
Jadon Sancho (for Watkins, 75) - A good cameo from the loanee winger. Nice play to feed Barkley in the box and always willing to run at the full-back. 6
Tyrone Mings (for Torres, 75) - Very little do and did it fine before leaving the field in stoppage time with what looked a lot like a hamstring injury. 6