Aston Villa at Anfield, Jack isn't back and some match facts
When Liverpool came to Villa Park earlier this season, they fancied they were going to come and get three points. Little did they know they'd leave humiliated and that the world press would be writing about that humiliation the following day.
That wont happen again tomorrow because it was a freak result. Sure, we went out to pressure them from the first minute and that pressure paid off and that resulted in interest, in the form of energy and belief that used for some time after that game too, but we've lost that.
We will get it back and maybe we did with the three late goals against Fulham, but it will be a long time before another side scores seven against Liverpool again even if they're not the side they once were. Last season that is.
And if you ask what the best moment of this season was to Aston Villa supporters at the end of this season, they'd mostly all pick that result, performance and night. Some wouldn't, but they're the ones that pick something else just to be different. It really was the highlight.
And it's not nice to write like this with so many games of the season left. Especially when you look at the table. We have a game in hand on the team in fourth and had our form from earlier this season carried over into the second half, we'd essentially be in the top four now. But things don't happen this quickly and I've really enjoyed this season.
And you know what, if we go out like we did when we humiliated Liverpool, I'll be happy. It's the approach that is important. And on that, it's early, I'm going back to bed to ponder on what is really wrong with Jack.
Match facts from the BBC
Head-to-head
- Aston Villa could do the double over Liverpool for the first time since the inaugural Premier League season in 1992-93.
- Six of Villa's 13 Premier League wins in this fixture have come at Anfield, though they have lost on their past two visits.
Liverpool
- Liverpool are winless in eight Premier League home matches, losing the last six. They have only endured one longer top-flight home run without a victory: 10 matches in 1951-52.
- Only four teams have ever lost seven consecutive home games in a Premier League season - and all four went on to finish bottom of the league.
- Jurgen Klopp's side are currently on a run of 11 hours and 48 minutes without a league goal from open play at Anfield.
- This is the first time Liverpool have lost 10 competitive fixtures in a calendar year before the end of April since 1954.
- Mohamed Salah could become the first Liverpool player to reach 20 Premier League goals in three separate seasons; he has 18 in 2020-21.
- James Milner could break the Premier League record for the most substitute appearances. He is currently level with Peter Crouch on 158.
Aston Villa
- Aston Villa have kept eight clean sheets away from home in the Premier League this season, the most in the division and a joint club record.
- Emiliano Martinez is one short of matching Villa's Premier League record for most clean sheets by a goalkeeper in a season: 15 by Brad Friedel in 2009-10.
- They could become the first team to score more than seven top-flight goals against the reigning champions in a season since Leeds managed eight across their two games against Derby in 1972-73.
- Villa have won seven of their 15 away league matches this season. They only won eight in their previous three Premier League seasons combined.
- Ollie Watkins, who scored a hat-trick against Liverpool in October, has hit the woodwork an unrivalled seven times in the Premier League this season.
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