FIVE-STAR REDS CLOSE IN ON UNITED Liverpool moved to within one point of Premier League leaders Manchester United after a Steven Gerrard hat-trick helped them to a breathtaking 5-0 victory over Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon. Further strikes from Dirk Kuyt and Albert Riera in front of a jubilant Anfield made it 13 goals in three games for the Reds, who now have a superior goal difference to Alex Ferguson's men.
Gerrard's efforts saw him breach the 20-goals barrier for the third time in his career, while a clean sheet for Pepe Reina means the Spaniard has reached 100 shut-outs faster than any custodian in Liverpool history.
His opposite number, Brad Friedel, saw red for a foul on Fernando Torres, though by this stage the Anfield scoreboard already read 4-0.
What was a wonderful week for the club has turned into a fantastic fortnight with regards our quest for silverware. First Real Madrid were dispatched at a saunter, then United suffered the indignity of a 4-1 home defeat to their biggest rivals. It couldn't get any better, could it? It could, and it did when the Rafa Benitez contract saga finally ended with an announcement on the club website at 9.02pm on Wednesday.
Clearly rattled, Ferguson reacted with some wholly inaccurate assertions about Liverpool's transfer activity. His side then responded in kind with a 2-0 defeat at Craven Cottage in a match which saw two of United's most gifted servants dismissed.
All of which meant Liverpool went into this game knowing victory would make it game-on in the title race with eight fixtures remaining.
Not that anyone inside Anfield is likely to lose perspective, especially on a day when the famous stadium mourned the premature death of club secretary Bryce Morrison this weekend with a minute's silence.
With these sad formalities out of the way, Liverpool set about dismantling an ailing Villa side without a win since February 7.
Within 50 seconds Gerrard won a corner for the home side which Fabio Aurelio planted on to the head of Martin Skrtel. The Slovak redirected the ball towards the top corner but it was reasonably comfortable for Friedel.
Minutes later Gerrard latched onto a nonchalant throughball from Torres before slipping at the crucial moment. It already looked ominous for the visitors.
 And so it proved on eight minutes when a glancing header from Xabi Alonso sent a Gerrard free-kick clattering against the crossbar. Kuyt reacted first with a wicked drive into the bottom corner to take his season's tally to 10.
Gerrard might have made it 2-0 soon after had he not been forced to adjust his body at the last minute after Nigel Reo-Coker deflected a Riera cross. The skipper stretched but his close-range volley did not bother Friedel.
Like the narrow streets surrounding Anfield, it was one-way traffic.
The first real threat from Villa took 21 minutes to arrive when John Carew flicked an Ashley Young cross towards to the top corner. Reina had to be smart.
Seconds later the Spaniard needed every inch of his 6'2 frame to stop a Carew header with a diving save.
Then, just as Villa were threatening to get a foothold in the game, the title-chasers hit them with two goals in seven minutes.
Reina doesn't get enough credit for his kicking, but the bald-headed goalkeeper is totting up quite an assist count in Liverpool colours. It was his route-one ball on 33 minutes which persuaded Riera to ghost behind the Villa backline before launching an unstoppable first-time volley in off Friedel's bar.
If that made Villa's task almost impossible, what happened next on 40 minutes ended the contest completely. Again it was Riera bursting down the left which proved their undoing, this time thanks to a rash challenge from Reo-Coker just inside the box. Referee Martin Atkinson didn't hesitate, and Gerrard waited for Friedel to move before dispatching his penalty in the opposite direction.
The half-time whistle was an act of mercy from Mr Atkinson, but any respite was short-lived. It took just five minutes after the restart for Gerrard to make it 4-0 after Kuyt won a free-kick in the D. The number eight shaped as if he was about to bend it into the top corner but instead rolled it haughtily into the bottom.
Sarcastic shouts of 'Rafa's cracking up' echoed from the Kop, who, not for the first time in recent weeks, were witnessing a very good side being made to look distinctly average.
It became 5-0 on 65 minutes when Torres rounded Friedel in the box only for the former Red to lean across and bring him down. The American was sent to the stands and Gerrard made no mistake against substitute goalkeeper Brad Guzan from 12 yards.
There was still time for a further boost for Benitez with the introduction of Daniel Agger, who made his first appearance for months following a back injury. Teams Liverpool: Reina, Aurelio, Carragher, Skrtel, Arbeloa, Riera, Alonso, Mascherano, Kuyt, Gerrard (captain), Torres. Subs - Hyypia, Agger, Ngog, Dossena, El Zhar, Leiva, Cavalieri
Aston Villa: Friedel, Young, Davies, Cuellar, Reo-Coker, Young, Barry (captain), Petrov, Milner, Carew, Heskey. Subs - Gardner, Shorey, Guzan, Knight, Delfouneso, Salifou, Agbonlahor
Referee: Martin Atkinson
Conditions: Breezy
Attendance: 44,131
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Steven Gerrard
Breakdown 16:04 GMT : Match Starts
1 min : Aston Villa get the game underway attacking the Kop end
2 mins : Prior to kick-off both teams and their supporters observed a minute's silence for Liverpool's Club Secretary Bryce Morrison who sadly passed away yesterday. RIP Bryce, You'll Never Walk Alone.
2 mins : Good start from the Reds. Aurelio swings in a corner that is met by Skrtel... but in the end it's an easy save for Friedel
3 mins : Villa respond and Milner's shot is deflected for their first corner of the match
4 mins : Stevie G breaks clear...but after cutting inside he loses his footing and the chance is lost
7 mins : Riera's pressure forces Reo-Coker into making a poorly timed challenge. Free-kick to the Reds
8 mins : GOAL! Dirk Kuyt: The Dutchman drills home after Alonso's header crashes back off the bar
12 mins : A perfect start for the Reds. The home side have raced out of the traps today
15 mins : A great ball in from Ashley Young is superbly defended by the returning Alvaro Arbeloa
16 mins : It should be 2-0. Albert Riera's deflected cross is met by Gerrard on the stretch, but the skipper just fails to turn it home at the far post
21 mins : Ashley Young's left wing cross is well met by John Carew.. great save Pepe
23 mins : First Booking: Steven Gerrard:
24 mins : Magnificent play down the right by Arbeloa sees the Spaniard feed Torres just inisde the area... but El Nino's side footer is easy for Friedel
25 mins : Reina maintains Liverpool's lead with a stunning stop from Carew's header. It's been a superb contest so far
28 mins : Gerrard flicks on for Torres but just when it seems our number nine is in, Cuellar steps across with a vital interception
31 mins : Villa have responded well to going behind and are causing problems with high balls towards Heskey and Carew
33 mins : GOAL! Albert Riera: The winger crashes a volley in off the bar after racing onto Reina's kick
35 mins : A poor kick by Friedel gifts the ball to Arbeloa but his cutback to Torres is underhit and Villa escape
40 mins : Penalty Scored! Steven Gerrard: The skipper fires home the kick after Albert Riera was brought down by Reo-Coker
41 mins : First Booking: Luke Young:
42 mins : The Reds are on fire today
44 mins : First Booking: Gareth Barry: It was the Villa skipper and not Luke Young who was booked earlier
16:52 GMT : Half Time Reached
17:11 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : Liverpool restart the match attacking the Kop
49 mins : Free-kick to LFC in a dangerous area. Stevie to take...
50 mins : GOAL! Steven Gerrard: The skipper places the ball into the corner from Xabi's touch off
54 mins : It's all one-way traffic now
55 mins : 44,131 lucky fans are inside Anfield today and most have a great big, beaming smile on their face - Villa followers aside of course!
56 mins : It could be five. Xabi drags a shot wide after finding space just inside the area
58 mins : Substitution: Gabriel Agbonlahor for Emile Heskey: Emile gets a big clap from both sets of fans as he makes way for the Villa number 11
60 mins : Fair play to the Villa fans. They are four down and still trying their best to boost the team
62 mins : A great flick from Torres feeds Arbeloa but the full-back's attempted pass to Stevie G is deflected to safety
63 mins : Sending Off: Brad Friedel: Torres is brought down by the Villa stopper as he races clean through. It's a penalty and a red card
64 mins : Substitution: Brad Guzan for Nigel Reo-Coker:
65 mins : Penalty Scored! Steven Gerrard: HAT-TRICK
66 mins : Substitution: Lucas Leiva for Xabi Alonso:
70 mins : It's raining goals at Anfield today. Makes the job very busy but in a very good way!
72 mins : Martin Skrtel sees a low shot deflect off Lucas and away while Masch tests sub keeper Brad Guzan from 20 yards. There's a real buzz at Anfield today
76 mins : Substitution: Daniel Agger for Alvaro Arbeloa: Great to see the Dane back in action
79 mins : It's looking like the title race could well be back on. Liverpool are in scintillating form
80 mins : Substitution: David Ngog for Steven Gerrard:
83 mins : The Reds have taken their foot off the pedal since the fifth goal but there could yet be more goals. After all, El Nino hasn't scored today!
85 mins : A great run by Agger almost sees the Dane release Torres, but our number nine is flagged just offside
89 mins : Substitution: Craig Gardner for John Carew:
90 mins : There will be a minimum of three minutes added time
90 mins : First Booking: Craig Gardner:
17:56 GMT : Match Over |
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