Video Loading
Video Unavailable
Liverpool go to Aston Villa seeking to prolong a 27 – match unbeaten run in the Premier League, and maintain their six-point lead over Manchester City ahead of next weekend’s clash with the reigning champions.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have won nine and drawn one of their 10 top-flight matches so far this season , with the German restoring sever al of his senior stars to the team after they were rested for the midweek Carabao Cup clash with Arsenal.
The Reds will face Villa in the next round of that competition , and head to the Midlands to face a home side sitting 15 th in the table.
Dean Smith’s men beat Wolves 2-1 in the Carabao Cup in midweek, and have only lost once at home in the league this season.
Follow all the action as it happens right here …
Due to the Saturday 3pm blackout, the match will not be shown on TV in the UK.
Aston Villa:Heaton, Guilbert, Engels, Mings, Targett, Nakamba, McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Trezeguet, El Ghazi, Wesley
Liverpool:Alisson , Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson, Lallana, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Mane, Salah, Firmino
Liverpool knocking on the door
The subs have made a difference to the Reds, but there’s still nothing on the scoresheet.
Big chance for Lallana, who should score.
Double change for Liverpool
Origi for Wijnaldum and Oxlade -Chamberlain for Salah.
Not the Egyptian’s day, and he leaves the pitch shortly after missing a good chance.
Van Dijk in the book
Virgil van Dijk is now in the book for hauling back El Ghazi.
Better from Liverpool
Wijnaldum and Mane both come close in the early stages of the second half as Liverpool step it up.
Off again
We’re back under way at Villa Park.
HALF-TIME: Aston Villa 1-0 Liverpool
Villa ahead at the break through Trezeguet’s goal, but Liverpool left fuming with the offside call that ruled out Firmino’s goal.
(Image: Getty Images)
Wayward Salah
Chance for Salah again but he sweeps his effort wide.
Liverpool struggling
The Reds don’t seem to have recovered from that marginal offside call just yet.
Sadio Mane is now in the book for diving, too.
Goal disallowed
Firmino has the ball in the net but it’s been disallowed.
VAR checks and he’s * just * offside.
Apparently.
Who even knows any more?
GOAL – Aston Villa 1-0 Liverpool
Villa take the lead!
A free-kick is set into the box, and Trezeguet is
It goes to VAR, but the goal stands.
Three Villa players were in an offside position, but the Egyptian wasn’t.
Salah goes close
Liverpool are getting into a bit more now.
Chance for Mane!
Big chance for Sadio Mane from a Jordan Henderson cross, but he’s headed it wide.
Moments later, Tom Heaton denies Mo Salah.
Hello hello
If this doesn’t get Liverpool going then what will?
Henderson error
Almost a big error from Jordan Henderson there, but the Reds skipper gets back to retrieve the situation.
Moments later, Wesley almost connects with
Reds down the right
Liverpool starting attacking down their right, but no joy as yet.
We’re off
Liverpool attacking the Holte End first half.
Here we go then …
The teams are out at Villa Park .
Liverpool limber up
Yes, that is Andy Lonergan.
Bold
A big blow for Aston Villa
No doubt about the big team news for Villa, with the absence of skipper Jack Grealish coming as a massive blow.
It had been suggested that the playmaker was going to be able to make it, but he gives way to Anwar El Ghazi.
Tyrone Mings takes the captain’s armband.
(Image: Getty Images)
() (****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: 16
A risky gamble from Klopp?
So there’s no Fabinho for Liverpool, with the Brazilian only given a place on the bench this afternoon.
He’s been a consistent performer for the Reds this season, but a booking today would mean that he misses next weekend’s titanic clash with Manchester City at Anfield.
Is this a gamble from Klopp though?
There’s a game to win here first after all.
(Image: Getty Images)
No Jack Grealish for Villa
He’s out, with Anwar El Ghazi coming in.
Adam Lallana starts for Liverpool
The midfielder comes in for Fabinho in the only change from the win over Spurs.
Klopp begs authorities to focus on player welfare
Jurgen Klopp says the top managers across Europe ALL agree the time has come for football’s authorities to stop thinking about “their wallet”, and instead focus on player welfare .
The situation is clear: there was not one day where FIFA, UEFA, the Premier League, the Football League has to sit at a table and think about the players and not about their wallet, ”he explained.
Pretty much all managers, especially managers with a lot of international players, think the same. They get players back on a Wednesday or Thursday from Shanghai or Miami and on Saturday we have to play.
The game has grown and I get that it’s a business, we are part of that and we get the benefit of the business 100%. But it grew so much because of the quality of the players.
Our part of it is to help players fulfil their potential. That only really works with training but in modern football a manager has no time for training any more. ”
(Read More)
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings