Bellamy, Skrtel snatch points

First half goals from Craig Bellamy and Martin Skrtel gave Liverpool all three points at Villa Park, taking them above Newcastle into sixth place in the Premier League table.

Liverpool got off to a good start, getting the early goal that they wanted. A Stewart Downing corner in the 10th minute was flicked on by Jonjo Shelvey leaving Craig Bellamy with nothing to do but prod the ball into the empty net to give Liverpool the lead.


Liverpool doubled their lead just four minutes later with Martin Skrtel getting past his defender to head in Craig Bellamy's corner. The Reds were rampant and it seemed as if they wanted to wrap up the game in the first half itself.


N'Zogbia had a couple of chances in the 19th and 22nd minutes to get Aston Villa back in the game. The first one saw him being fed by Petrov, only for his resulting shot to go well wide. The second one was a better effort though, with Delfouneso putting him through but his shot only finding the side netting.


Villa had another half chance in the 31st minute, when Marc Albrighton's free kick was headed over the bar by Nathan Delfouneso.


Liverpool began the second half strongly, with Agger heading Bellamy's cross just wide in the 47th minute.


The Reds came close to scoring a third in the next minute, when Luis Suarez got past Richard Dunne and took a good shot that came back off the crossbar.


Glen Johnson was next to have a go in the 51st minute, cutting in from the flank and sending in a curling shot that the Villa keeper Guzan put behind for a corner, which eventually came to nothing.


N'Zogbia had Villa's first chance of the second half in the 56th minute with a half hearted shot from outside the box that Reina comfortably held.


Suarez hit the post yet again just two minutes later, after his delightfully executed chip did not dip enough and Bellamy, who was looking to tap in the rebound, was flagged offside.


Liverpool had more half chances to increase their lead, but the ball spent a lot of time in the middle of the park. Villa's last attempt came from Bannan who's shot in the 87th minute blazed over Reina's bar.


The result takes Liverpool up to sixth place, level on points with Arsenal.