Robbie Fowler and Jamie Redknapp hauled Liverpool back on track at Anfield - and handed Aston Villa their first away defeat of the season.
Fowler and Redknapp struck the goals that put Graeme Souness' men on winning ways again - and they had another boost as John Barnes came through his comeback game unscathed.
Souness saluted his team, saying: "It was a fine performance especially in the second half and I'm very pleased John Barnes and Jan Molby came through the game."
Dalian Atkinson was Villa's hero-turned-villain, equalising for the visitors but then giving the ball away leading up to Redknapp's winner but Villa boss Ron Atkinson was content with his team's performance.
He said: "I really enjoyed the game and thought we played very well. If we play like that at Arsenal in the Coca-Cola Cup on Tuesday night we'll be all right."
Liverpool took the lead on the stroke of half-time against the run of play. Villa left Fowler unmarked at a corner and the teenage striker back-headed Dominic Matteo's cross past Mark Bosnich for his 11th goal of the season.
Straight from the kick-off Villa came within a whisker of an equaliser when Bruce Grobbelaar finger-tipped a blistering volley onto the bar from ex-Anfield man Dean Saunders.
But Villa needed only eight minutes after half-time to equalise when Steve Nicol's back-pass to Grobbelaar dropped short and Atkinson was first to react to tap the ball in from close range.
Villa piled on the pressure looking for a winner but Atkinson hit an ambitious cross-field ball straight at Fowler, whose perfectly weighted pass put Redknapp through to blast the ball through Bosnich's legs.
As Liverpool raised the tempo, substitute Mark Walters forced a fine double save from Bosnich, Ruddock watched agonisingly as his header went just wide, while Dominic Matteo, through with only Bosnich to beat, allowed the 'keeper to smother his weak shot.
Fowler had a shot cleared off the line by Garry Parker but at the other end only a superb reflex save from Grobbelaar from Atkinson's fiercely-struck volley, prevented Villa sharing the points.
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