Villa In Seventh Heaven

In perhaps the most shocking result in world football history; unheralded Aston Villa; a team that survived relegation by the skin of their teeth last season; proceeded to bamboozle the defending champions 7-2 on an unbelievable night at Villa Park.

Liverpool looked a tad over-confident in this one; and strangely looked slightly lethargic; being second to the ball & second to most of the challenges as well. Not for the first time this season; they looked vulnerable playing that high line of defence; with their midfield and front-line not putting the customary press to threaten the opposing team in possession.

The circus started as early as the fourth minute; when back-up 'keeper Adrian was far too casual with his ball to Joe Gomez; leading Jack Grealish to latch on to it and find Ollie Watkins inside the area; to finish with his left foot for the first Premier League goal ever of his career.

If that goal was somewhat fortuitous; there was to be no doubting the quality of the second; as Watkins cut inside from the left and scored an excellent finish on his right foot to put Villa 2-0 up. Mohamed Salah reduced the arrears in the 33rd minute with a fine finish; but almost immediately; John McGinn restored Villa's two-goal lead with a deflected shot from a corner.

With Liverpool looking in shell-shocked mode; another beautifully-flighted free-kick from Ross Barkley caught the Liverpool defence out again; with Trezeguet's lovely cut-back headed in by Watkins to complete his perfect hat-trick.

Ex-Evertonian Barkley; making his debut for Villa after moving on loan from Chelsea; was having a magnificent game in midfield; and he could even have got a hat-trick in the first half; such was the openness of Liverpool's defence. And he did get Villa's fifth ten minutes into the second half; with another deflected shot finding the back of the net after a good one-two sequence with Grealish.

Salah again reduced the arrears after a slight Villa mix-up in the middle of the park; but the home team were not to be denied; as Grealish completed the improbable rout with two more goals in the 66th & 75th minutes; the first yet another deflected effort off Fabinho; and the second an impudent clip after being played through brilliantly by McGinn.

This is the first time ever the defending champions have let in seven in a game. The humiliation was compete.