Premier League Match 150: Aston Villa v Liverpool 31st Jan 1996

Premier League, Wed January 31st 1996, Villa Park, 19:45pm

Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool FC

Referee: Roger Gilkes   H-T: 0-0   Att: 39,332

Match Report

Liverpool are definitely stirring. The increasingly dynamic Stan Collymore-Robbie Fowler axis swept the Reds of Merseyside into second place in the Premiership, both strikers scoring in this initially nervy, ultimately fulfilling victory at Villa Park, their first League success here for 12 seasons.

Third versus fifth, the Premiership's most potent attack versus the division's most parsimonious defence: it had all the makings of a fascinating encounter. Liverpool again took their time in settling, a brief foray by Steve McManaman apart. Villa, equally anxious to make ground on Newcastle, were quicker into their familiar stride, eager to build on a run of only two defeats in 17 outings.

Tommy Johnson, operating like McManaman in a free role behind the attack, was again impressive, proving the catalyst to a wonderful right-wing break after 10 minutes. Laying the ball back to Gary Charles, Johnson galloped clear in expectation of the return pass.

It duly arrived in magnificent fashion, delivered by the heel of Charles through Rob Jones' legs. Possession collected, Johnson sprinted into the box before cutting the ball back for the onrushing Mark Draper, who brought a fine reflex save from David James.

With both three-man defences dropping off, there was plenty of space for dribblers like McManaman and Dwight Yorke to exploit. Villa, buzzing throughout the first period, charged through the middle until Neil Ruddock was surprisingly ruled to have fouled Savo Milosevic. The Serb collapsed, clutching his face, but was soon fit enough to take the indirect free-kick, which he duly thumped into Liverpool's wall.

Slowly but surely, Liverpool began displaying the class that had swept them on a nine-game unbeaten run. After 26 minutes, John Barnes and McManaman sent Jason McAteer overlapping down the right. The wing-back's cross arrowed in towards Collymore, whose powerful header was somehow blocked by Mark Bosnich. As Jones slid in for the loose ball, Ugo Ehiogu cleared acrobatically. Always elegant, an end-to-end match kept producing opportunities for the inconsistent Milosevic, who volleyed over and had a shot blocked by Ruddock. Liverpool, though, were also finding their range with Collymore twice showing his ability to dispatch accurate shots from tight angles.

Collymore's partnership with Fowler has been productive of late, so it was no surprise to see Fowler scamper through in pursuit of his accomplice's pass. Fowler threatened with every step until he crashed against Villa's rock of ages, Paul McGrath.

After withstanding efforts from Yorke and Milosevic, Liverpool took control in the space of four minutes just after the hour. When Draper impeded McManaman out on the left, the excellent Barnes touched the ball to Collymore, who curled his 20-yarder around the onrushing Andy Townsend, putting so much swerve on the ball that Bosnich was completely wrong-footed.

Villa's keeper then clawed away another curler from Collymore before Liverpool's second arrived following a quick break, clinically finished. McAteer's clearance was neatly dummied by Fowler, allowing McManaman to carry the ball from his own half deep into opposing territory.

Fowler, having continued down the left, took the return pass and began to drift in. Suddenly seeing a gap, Liverpool's precocious poacher drove the ball through a thicket of players and between Bosnich and the far post.

TEAM LINE-UP's
Aston Villa	Liverpool
Bosnich	James
Charles	Jones
Southgate	McAteer
McGrath	Babb
Draper	Collymore
Milosevic	Barnes
Johnson	Scales
Townsend	Thomas
Wright	McManaman
Ehiogu	Fowler
Yorke	Ruddock
Substitutes
Staunton	Wright
Oakes	Rush
Taylor	Warner
Substitutions
Staunton fro McGrath 70'
Goals
	Collymore 62'
	Fowler 65'
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Referee
Roger Dilkes
Attendance
39,332