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Liverpool 1-3 Aston Villa
Match Reports, 22:34, August 24, 2009 ,
Aston Villa secured their first points of the season with a 3-1 victory at Anfield against a Liverpool side lacking in creativity.
Villa started the match looking every inch a side which had failed to win against their opponents in their last 16 attempts, but Liverpool missed several good early chances to open the scoring.
The first goal came very much against the run of play, with Lucas heading into his own net from an Ashley Young free kick. Curtis Davies then headed home at the near post from Nicky Shorey's corner in first-half stoppage time to ensure the away side entered the break full of unexpected confidence.
Liverpool, attacking the Kop End in the second half, got themselves back in the game with 18 minutes left when Fernando Torres side-footed home from close range after some good work by Emiliano Insua.
But Ashley Young restored Villa's two-goal lead and sealed the points from the penalty spot three minutes later, after Steven Gerrard, who had a rare off night for Liverpool, fouled Nigel Reo-Coker.