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Liverpool Echo match report
LIVERPOOL were reduced to ten men for the third league game in succession when Steve Staunton was sent off at Villa Park today.
The ex-Aston Villa defender was booked twice as referee Rob Harris made some outrageous decisions in a goalless first half.
Erik Meijer replaced the injured Robbie Fowler which meant Titi Camara was somewhat unfortunately left on the bench again.
Rigobert Song was also preferred at right back ahead of Vegard Heggem while Stephane Henchoz made his league debut at centre half. Jamie Carragher was dropped to the substitutes' bench for the first time in two seasons.
Villa goalkeeper David James also missed the chance to face his old club by failing to recover from injury.
Liverpool had to resist some early pressure as they desperately tried to avoid conceding an early goal for the fourth consecutive league game.
After just five minutes Staunton, who was booed by the home fans from the first whistle, was booked for a foul on Dublin. Considering it was the first foul of the game it seemed harsh by referee Rob Harris who, in two Premiership games this season, has already booked 16 players.
Villa almost grabbed the lead on ten minutes after a bad mistake by Henchoz when he underhit a back pass. Joachim intercepted, forcing Westerveld into a good save at his feet and then Henchoz made amends with a terrific tackle on Dublin as he tried to finish the rebound.
A minute later Westerveld made another excellent stop to deny Thompson's 30 yard free-kick.
The Reds finally seemed to wake up after a quarter of an hour when Owen's shot was blocked by Southgate.
Seconds later Boateng became the second man to be booked after another petty incident when he stopped Staunton taking a quick throw-in.
Smicer was an inch away from his first Liverpool goal on 16 minutes when Barry's mistake allowed him to run through on goal but from a tight angle he was just the wrong side of the post with his shot.
The game wasn't being helped by the number of stoppages as the referee's whistle was the most dominant force in the early stages.
Thompson became the third player to be booked on 24 minutes after a foul on Smicer.
Smicer, however, was soon back on his feet and almost created another opening for Liverpool on 26 minutes but unfortunately for the Reds there weren't enough bodies in the box to get on the end of his delightful cross across the face of goal.
Quite what planet referee Harris learned the rules of football on is anyone's guess but on half an hour he made two outrageous decisions which reduced Liverpool to ten men after Steve Staunton was sent off.
It started after Sami Hyypia had made an excellent challenge on Joachim. Harris consulted his linesmen and not only gave Villa a free kick on the edge of the Liverpool box but booked Hyypia who looked totally bemused by the decision.
That seemed bad enough but then Harris watched Thompson take the free-kick and penalised Staunton for breaking away from the wall too early. Amazingly he pulled out the yellow card again, Staunton's second and Liverpool were reduced to ten men.
Gerard Houllier must not have been able to believe his bad luck as on a day when Liverpool were desperate for a result his side were faced with one of the most inept referees in the country.
Smicer had to be replaced by Gerrard as Liverpool altered their formation.
Apart from the controversy, there had been little else happening but such was referee Harris' performance it was difficult to believe that Staunton would be the only dismissal by the end of the game.
However, the Reds almost grabbed the lead on 38 minutes when Owen flicked Berger's free-kick wide.
Seconds later, Meijer attempted an ambitious overhead kick which Enckelman held easily. Redknapp joined the booking tally on 44 minutes after a foul on Hendrie.
After being down to ten men, Liverpool were inevitably packing their defence and ironically the man whose excellent tackle had started all the controversy. Sami Hyypia was having another magnificent game at the heart of the Reds' defence.
Half Time: Aston Villa 0, Liverpool 0.
The most surprising aspect at the start of the second half was that Harris had gone a full eight minutes without adding to the bookings.
Villa came close to opening the scoring on 50 minutes when Thompson blasted a free-kick wide from 25 yards.
Thompson was involved again with an excellent cross two minutes later which found Boateng but his effort was directed across the goal and wide of the target.
Westerveld was forced to punch clear a header by Ehiogu on 56 minutes as Villa started to pile on more pressure.
And then the bookings returned when Henchoz was booked on 57 minutes for a foul on Delaney and a minute later Hamann was also booked for a trip on the same player. When Barry was booked for a foul on Song on 62 minutes, it took Harris' tally to 25 in three games this season.
Jamie Redknapp came close to giving Liverpool an unlikely lead on 65 minutes when his 30-yard free-kick forced Enckelman into a good save low to his left.
Villa made a change a minute later when Merson replaced Boateng.
Dublin beat Westerveld to head over on 68 minutes and the striker thought he had given Villa the lead at last two minutes later only for his tap-in after Ehiogu's header across the face of goal to be ruled out for offside.
At times the defending in the Liverpool box was desperate but no-one could question the character of Houllier's side.
Meijer became the tenth booking on 74 minutes for a foul on Barry. Houllier was then forced to make a change when an exhausted Hamann was replaced by Carragher.
Ten minutes from time, Titi Camara replaced Michael Owen while Steve Stone was a substitute in midfield for Hendrie.
Five minutes later, Meijer had a great opportunity when Camara sent him through with a superb ball but as the striker went round the keeper, he forced himself wide and his shot was blocked by Southgate.
As time ticked away, Camara was then booked as the referee ended the game in the same bizarre fashion as he had started it.
Report by Chris Bascombe
HOW THEY LINED UP
ASTON VILLA Enckelman, Southgate, Ehiogu, Boateng, Taylor, Dublin, Thompson, Joachim, Barry, Hendrie, Delaney., Subs: Watson, Merson, Oakes, Stone, Calderwood.
LIVERPOOL Westerveld, Henchoz, Song, Staunton, Smicer, Owen, Redknapp, Hyypia, Hamann, Meijer., Subs: Heggem, Camara, Carragher, Nielsen, Gerrard.
Referee: R. Harris
The ex-Aston Villa defender was booked twice as referee Rob Harris made some outrageous decisions in a goalless first half.
Erik Meijer replaced the injured Robbie Fowler which meant Titi Camara was somewhat unfortunately left on the bench again.
Rigobert Song was also preferred at right back ahead of Vegard Heggem while Stephane Henchoz made his league debut at centre half. Jamie Carragher was dropped to the substitutes' bench for the first time in two seasons.
Villa goalkeeper David James also missed the chance to face his old club by failing to recover from injury.
Liverpool had to resist some early pressure as they desperately tried to avoid conceding an early goal for the fourth consecutive league game.
After just five minutes Staunton, who was booed by the home fans from the first whistle, was booked for a foul on Dublin. Considering it was the first foul of the game it seemed harsh by referee Rob Harris who, in two Premiership games this season, has already booked 16 players.
Villa almost grabbed the lead on ten minutes after a bad mistake by Henchoz when he underhit a back pass. Joachim intercepted, forcing Westerveld into a good save at his feet and then Henchoz made amends with a terrific tackle on Dublin as he tried to finish the rebound.
A minute later Westerveld made another excellent stop to deny Thompson's 30 yard free-kick.
The Reds finally seemed to wake up after a quarter of an hour when Owen's shot was blocked by Southgate.
Seconds later Boateng became the second man to be booked after another petty incident when he stopped Staunton taking a quick throw-in.
Smicer was an inch away from his first Liverpool goal on 16 minutes when Barry's mistake allowed him to run through on goal but from a tight angle he was just the wrong side of the post with his shot.
The game wasn't being helped by the number of stoppages as the referee's whistle was the most dominant force in the early stages.
Thompson became the third player to be booked on 24 minutes after a foul on Smicer.
Smicer, however, was soon back on his feet and almost created another opening for Liverpool on 26 minutes but unfortunately for the Reds there weren't enough bodies in the box to get on the end of his delightful cross across the face of goal.
Quite what planet referee Harris learned the rules of football on is anyone's guess but on half an hour he made two outrageous decisions which reduced Liverpool to ten men after Steve Staunton was sent off.
It started after Sami Hyypia had made an excellent challenge on Joachim. Harris consulted his linesmen and not only gave Villa a free kick on the edge of the Liverpool box but booked Hyypia who looked totally bemused by the decision.
That seemed bad enough but then Harris watched Thompson take the free-kick and penalised Staunton for breaking away from the wall too early. Amazingly he pulled out the yellow card again, Staunton's second and Liverpool were reduced to ten men.
Gerard Houllier must not have been able to believe his bad luck as on a day when Liverpool were desperate for a result his side were faced with one of the most inept referees in the country.
Smicer had to be replaced by Gerrard as Liverpool altered their formation.
Apart from the controversy, there had been little else happening but such was referee Harris' performance it was difficult to believe that Staunton would be the only dismissal by the end of the game.
However, the Reds almost grabbed the lead on 38 minutes when Owen flicked Berger's free-kick wide.
Seconds later, Meijer attempted an ambitious overhead kick which Enckelman held easily. Redknapp joined the booking tally on 44 minutes after a foul on Hendrie.
After being down to ten men, Liverpool were inevitably packing their defence and ironically the man whose excellent tackle had started all the controversy. Sami Hyypia was having another magnificent game at the heart of the Reds' defence.
Half Time: Aston Villa 0, Liverpool 0.
The most surprising aspect at the start of the second half was that Harris had gone a full eight minutes without adding to the bookings.
Villa came close to opening the scoring on 50 minutes when Thompson blasted a free-kick wide from 25 yards.
Thompson was involved again with an excellent cross two minutes later which found Boateng but his effort was directed across the goal and wide of the target.
Westerveld was forced to punch clear a header by Ehiogu on 56 minutes as Villa started to pile on more pressure.
And then the bookings returned when Henchoz was booked on 57 minutes for a foul on Delaney and a minute later Hamann was also booked for a trip on the same player. When Barry was booked for a foul on Song on 62 minutes, it took Harris' tally to 25 in three games this season.
Jamie Redknapp came close to giving Liverpool an unlikely lead on 65 minutes when his 30-yard free-kick forced Enckelman into a good save low to his left.
Villa made a change a minute later when Merson replaced Boateng.
Dublin beat Westerveld to head over on 68 minutes and the striker thought he had given Villa the lead at last two minutes later only for his tap-in after Ehiogu's header across the face of goal to be ruled out for offside.
At times the defending in the Liverpool box was desperate but no-one could question the character of Houllier's side.
Meijer became the tenth booking on 74 minutes for a foul on Barry. Houllier was then forced to make a change when an exhausted Hamann was replaced by Carragher.
Ten minutes from time, Titi Camara replaced Michael Owen while Steve Stone was a substitute in midfield for Hendrie.
Five minutes later, Meijer had a great opportunity when Camara sent him through with a superb ball but as the striker went round the keeper, he forced himself wide and his shot was blocked by Southgate.
As time ticked away, Camara was then booked as the referee ended the game in the same bizarre fashion as he had started it.
Report by Chris Bascombe
HOW THEY LINED UP
ASTON VILLA Enckelman, Southgate, Ehiogu, Boateng, Taylor, Dublin, Thompson, Joachim, Barry, Hendrie, Delaney., Subs: Watson, Merson, Oakes, Stone, Calderwood.
LIVERPOOL Westerveld, Henchoz, Song, Staunton, Smicer, Owen, Redknapp, Hyypia, Hamann, Meijer., Subs: Heggem, Camara, Carragher, Nielsen, Gerrard.
Referee: R. Harris
