![\"Aston](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_Liverpool-v-Aston-Villa-Premier-League-Football-Anfield-Liverpool-UK-01-Nov-2025.jpg\")
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery(Image: Ryan Browne\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\nAston Villa travelled to Anfield with optimism to extend Liverpool’s struggles but will return to Birmingham empty-handedAston Villa manager Unai Emery(Image: Ryan Browne\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\n
Put that one down as a missed opportunity.<\/p>\n
Before this matchweek, Villa <\/a>had won six of their last seven games, while Liverpool had lost six of their last seven in all competitions. Indeed, no side had won more than Villa\u2019s four in a row in the league, and no team was on a longer losing streak than Liverpool.<\/p>\n ‘Doctor Aston Villa<\/a> will see you now,’ was a comment from our Claret & Blue Fanzone show, which I remembered while driving up to Merseyside earlier this afternoon. I think that was everyone’s fear – that Villa would give the Reds a helping hand in returning to form.<\/p>\n After beating Tottenham and Manchester City in their last two league games, it would feel disingenuous to criticise Villa after losing at Anfield. Yet how they succumbed to defeat is bitterly disappointing.<\/p>\n Yes, six points from nine in these three league games is probably a haul most fans would have taken, but this was not a match where Villa <\/a>were expected to roll over. Frankly, considering the level of football being played across the league this season, failing to compete would have been a challenge in itself.<\/p>\n A win at Anfield would have taken Villa up to joint-second place after ten matches, and had Morgan Rogers opened the scoring in the sixth minute, Unai Emery\u2019s side might well have been on their way.<\/p>\n That\u2019s because Liverpool had conceded first in their last seven matches in all competitions, and the timing of those goals has not helped either, each opener arriving no later than the 16th minute.<\/p>\n In the 19th minute, Matty Cash tried to catch Giorgi Mamardashvili out by firing at his near post from a position where you\u2019d have expected him to cross. A deflection off Virgil van Dijk made it awkward for the Georgian goalkeeper.<\/p>\n Liverpool, however, for the first time in eight games, managed to score the first goal – and it was gift-wrapped by Emi Martinez<\/a>, who made a terrible error playing out from the back. His pass to Pau Torres was sloppy, allowing Mo Salah to pounce and fire into the net. What makes that moment of madness even more inexcusable is that Liverpool had breached Villa\u2019s defence just three minutes earlier.<\/p>\n Hugo Ekitike, who headed past Martinez, was well offside – but that\u2019s not the point. It should have served as a wake-up call to get to the break on level terms, with the game still very much in the balance.<\/p>\n Liverpool\u2019s second goal came as a result of Pau Torres launching an aimless ball forward, which eventually came back to Ryan Gravenberch. His shot was deflected past Martinez by Torres\u2019s block.<\/p>\n Like Villa and Arsenal, Liverpool have only lost two home league games since the start of last season. So when they scored first, a comeback was always going to be a challenge.<\/p>\n Yet Villa looked defeated from the start of the second half and were very much second-best, despite an evenly matched first half where they could have feasibly taken the lead and had a decent chance of finally winning here for the first time in 11 years.<\/p>\n What did you make of Villa’s performance? Tell us here<\/a><\/strong> Join our Aston Villa WhatsApp group and get the latest breaking news, interviews and opinion sent straight to your phone, plus matchday team news and live updates of all the action. Just click on this link<\/a> and select \u2018Join Community\u2019 to get started. The only proviso is that you must have WhatsApp on your phone to participate. It’s a free service. No one will be able to see your personal information and you will only receive messages from our Villa writers.<\/p>\n We will not spam your WhatsApp feed with constant messages, but you will receive updates from us daily with the latest Villa news. If you later decide to opt out, just go to the name at the top of your screen and click ‘Exit Group’. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. Click here to read our Privacy Notice<\/a><\/p>\n Every day, the BirminghamLive football desk strive to deliver all manner of news, features and transfer-related stories as a part of our overall package of Aston Villa content.<\/p>\n Our dedicated reporter John Townley – who you can follow on X by clicking here<\/a> – follows Villa home and away and offers you comprehensive coverage from matchdays, press conferences and everything that happens in between.<\/p>\n So much happens day to day and sometimes you can struggle to keep on top of the very latest updates as and when they occur – that’s why we have produced a daily newsletter which you can sign up to, for free, and which means you’ll have a round-up of the key stories land in your email inbox. 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