Gerrard late show seals win

Torres: Winning start

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Teams

• Aston Villa
• Liverpool

On an afternoon that was for its majority more mediocre than magnificent, Steven Gerrard embraced the latter, with a sumptuous late free-kick which handed Liverpool an opening day 2-1 victory at Aston Villa.

Rafa Benitez will feel his side were full value for a maximum haul but with just six minutes remaining, it looked as though they would have to settle for a point, when Jamie Carragher handled in the area, allowing Gareth Barry's penalty to cancel out Martin Laursen's first half own goal.

Cometh the hour, though, and it was a case of cometh the Scouse King, as Gerrard stepped up - just two minutes after Barry's equaliser - to score an early goal of the month contender. It seems likely more will follow.

An expectant Villa Park crowd anticipated improvement for Martin O'Neill's charges but in truth, the home side never really got started, against a Liverpool team that was solid and accomplished, if unspectacular.

Torres bow

Fernando Torres made his Liverpool debut, and showed promise, while later in the second half, Ryan Babel came on to make his own bow for Rafa Benitez's charges.

Villa showed endeavour, with Barry impressing in midfield, but they seldom tested Jose Reina, until he turned over an injury-time header from John Carew which threatened to give the home side another dramatic leveller.

It was Villa that started the brighter as Craig Gardner caused Reina consternation from distance with a stinging 30-yard drive.

Carragher then needed to be at his sharpest defensively to deny Carew, but thereafter and it was Liverpool that always looked the more likely to break the deadlock.

Stuart Taylor was forced to parry a Gerrard daisy cutter, before Torres showed his first moment of quality in outpacing Mellberg, but his shot was dragged wide from the angle.

It was Torres at the heart of Liverpool's goal as it was his shot, after being played in by Gerrard, that forced Taylor to parry and from Dirk Kuyt's cutback, Laursen put through his own goal.

Villa struggles

Villa tried to build up momentum in the second period but it was Liverpool that were the more dangerous for large spells.

Only a brilliant block from Gardner prevented Gerrard from scoring, before Taylor then produced a flying save to deny the England man again.

Liverpool looked more than good enough to see out the remainder of the half but Villa, and in particular, Barry, had other ideas, as he converted from 12 yards following Carragher's rare error.

Gerrard, though, just used the opportunity to show all his class, as he stepped up to score a goal that gives Bentitez and his players a perfect platform to build on.

Aston Villa	Team Statistics	Liverpool
1	Goals	2
0	1st Half Goals	1
4	Shots on Target	5
5	Shots off Target	11
3	Blocked Shots	2
4	Corners	2
20	Fouls	14
3	Offsides	1
4	Yellow Cards	2
0	Red Cards	0
66.8	Passing Success	69.7
29	Tackles	24
75.9	Tackles Success	75
50.8	Possession	49.2
50.5	Territorial Advantage	49.5