Liverpool succumbed to their second defeat in three Premier League games when they sank to a 1-3 loss to Aston Villa at Anfield on Monday. The shock result left manager Rafa Benitez raging at the minimal contribution made by his senior players and gave his opposite number Martin O'Neill some breathing space.

Liverpool arrived into this game on the back of a thumping 4-0 win over Stoke City as they laid to rest ghosts of their 2-1 loss to Tottenham on the opening day. But it was a bitter home game for the Reds who will now have to be considered beatable even with the might of Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard.

Torres and Steven Gerrard had early chances in this game, which they could not convert and their club paid the penalty when Lucan scored an own goal on 34 minutes to give Villa the lead. A 45th minute corner was headed home by Curtis Davies and Villa found themselves 2-0 up by half-time.

After the break, Dirk Kuyt had a couple of headers saved by Brad Friedel. After 72 minutes Liverpool finally scored through Torres when Emiliano Insua sent him a fine cross. But two minutes later Gerrard brought down Reo-Coker in the box and Ashley Young slotted home the resulting penalty to give Villa a famous win and leave Benitez with plenty of questions to answer.