Final, 2-0 Liverpool: That's it from Villa Park. Liverpool takes all three points from a meeting with the lackluster Aston Villa.
Skrtel and Bellamy's names appear on the scoresheet, but it was a comprehensive victory for one team over another. The Reds were collectively strong and worked well as a unit.
The converse is that Villa was just poor, and one must wonder how long until supporters become more vocal (militant) in their displeasure with the new manager. The hosts rarely tested the Liverpool defense, which kept another clean sheet. They offered little resistance to the lively LFC attack.
Liverpool benefited from Villa's troubles defending set pieces — it's conceded more from corner kicks than any other EPL team — but did not score from open play. Suarez hit the bar twice in the second half, bringing the Reds' total to 17 on the season.
The win moves Liverpool up to sixth place with 29 points on the season. On this day, Liverpool had the look of a top-four team.
That's all for now and thanks for joining us. Let's discuss this one on Twitter @NESNsoccer and Facebook. Be sure to keep an eye out for some news, fan reactions, analysis and opinion that is on the way on NESN.com.
This one's for Viv.
88th minute, 2-0 Liverpool: Kuyt enters for Bellamy.
The Welshman gave a good account of himself against Villa. He ran into a bit of trouble with the yellow card (and dissent that followed), but he was at his pacey best for much of the game. A goal was a good return from his performance.
83rd minute, 2-0 Liverpool: Carragher comes on for Shelvey to lock up the game for Liverpool.
It was an impressive first EPL start for the 19-year-old Shelvey. He didn't look at all out of place surrounded by teammates who were performing at a high level. He'll be very useful to Dalglish in the holiday fixtures and beyond.
80th minute, 2-0 Liverpool: There's doesn't seem to be much left in Villa's tank. McLeish sent Weimann into the game, but his teammates are resigned to defeat.
The belief they showed after the second goal doesn't seem to be there with 10 minutes remaining.
73rd minute, 2-0 Liverpool: Carroll enters the fray for Suarez. It was an atypical game for the Uruguayan. He was quiet in the first half, before raising his game in the second.
It's a good opportunity for Carroll to come in and learn how to help manage the game. With his team up by two, he's got to keep the ball, be an outlet for his teammates and pressure defenders. A goal would be nice, but it's not necessary at the moment.
66th minute, 2-0 Liverpool: Suarez knocks a long pass down (at the top of the Villa area) into the path of Shelvey. The bald attacking midfielder blasts his shot over the bar.
He's been impressive in his first start for LFC this season. He's kept it simple in transition, making the right pass and tested Guzan on a couple of occasions. He hasn't shirked his defensive duties either.
61st minute, 2-0 Liverpool: Shelvey draws a save from Guzan and Adam shoots just wide. It was deflected actually. Villa looks like they're in danger of being overrun at that moment. He could have found Shelvey on the left but took it himself.
Suarez, Shelvey, Bellamy and company are getting behind Villa's defense — almost at will.
59th minute, 2-0 Liverpool: Suarez hits the bar again. He received a pass in the area, turned Dunne and chipped a shot to the far post that beat Guzan, but not his friend. Bellamy was denied by a sliding defender's desperate lunge on the follow-up. That's 17 times LFC has hit the post this season.
57th minute, 2-0 Liverpool: Bannan replaces Heskey as McLeish looks to liven things up in the Villa attack.
51st minute, 2-0 Liverpool: Warnock passes it straight to Johnson in the Villa end. The England right back tees up a shot, which is well saved by Guzan. It could have been three goals and the points to match for the Reds.
47th minute, 2-0 Liverpool: Suarez has been quiet for much of the game, but he beats Dunne and Collins in the Villa area, shoots from close range and rattles the bar. That's 16 times this season.
46th minute, 2-0 Liverpool: Bellamy bursts down the left side and crosses to Agger, who's header is well wide of the far post. The Welshman has created a good number of chances in this game.
Halftime, 2-0 Liverpool: The Reds have their two goals and take that advantage into the break.
The game got off to a flying start and Liverpool was ahead by two after just 15 minutes.
The hosts responded as their supporters demanded. They tested Reina with a few quality chances of their own.
McLeish will find it difficult to change the direction of the game with his substitutions. The explosive pair of Bent and Agbonlahor are out. Andreas Weimann, the 20-year-old Austrian striker, and youth team standout Graham Burke are his options in the attack. Skrtel and Agger shouldn't have too much trouble with them.
45th minute 2-0 Liverpool: It looks like the Reds are trying to knock the ball around and run down the for the last couple of minutes in the half. They'll head to the break delighted with the two-goal advantage.
38th minute, 2-0 Liverpool: The game has just slowed down after its bright start. Aston Villa enjoys a positive spell of play, but Liverpool is dealing with anything that comes its way.
30th minute, 2-0 Liverpool: Now Bellamy is cautioned for a foul on Hutton near the touchline. Delouneso heads the ensuing free-kick high after escaping Henderson's mark.
28th minute, 2-0 Liverpool: Adam cynically fouls Heskey and sees yellow for it. It was his third foul in these early stages. Each could have been punished with a yellow on another day.
24th minute, 2-0 Liverpool: It's end-to-end action at Villa Park. Johnson, Downing and Shelvey countered a Villa surge only to see N'Zogbia (again) come back down the field and test Reina with a drive from distance that just missed the far post.
21st minute, 2-0 Liverpool: N'Zogbia pivots and shoots from 20 yards out. It was over the bar, but Villa has responded to the goals with a little possession and menace in the Liverpool third. The hosts won't go down without a fight.
18th minute, 2-0 Liverpool: According to Opta stats, Aston Villa has conceded a higher percentage of goals from corners than any other team in the English Premier League. Chew on that one.
15th minute, 2-0 Liverpool: Villa's woes from set-pieces continue, as Skrtel flashes a header to the far corner. The delivery came from Bellamy's corner and the Slovakian freed himself with a short run to the near post. The delivery was powerful and he accurately directed his header past Guzan and above a defender manning the far post.
11th minute, 1-0 Liverpool: Bellamy puts Liverpool ahead. Shelvey flicked a Downing corner toward goal with a back-heel. Suarez did the same, but Guzan stopped it from point-blank range. It was the Welshamn who got to the rebound first and put LFC ahead.
Travelling LFC supporters sing, "one Stewart Downing."
Eighth minute, 0-0: Albrighton beats Enrique with a move an swings a cross in from the right. Heskey rose, unmarked, and directed his header right at Reina from close range. LFC dodged one there. The former England and LFC striker should have put the hosts ahead.
Seventh minute, 0-0: Downing collects a long pass from Bellamy and is met with a chorus of boos on his first touch. He cut in from the right took a shot, which was saved by Guzan.
Second minute, 0-0: Adam concedes a free-kick early by fouling Delfouneso, but it comes to nothing. The Liverpool midfielder could have been booked for a tackle from behind. But hey, it's too early for that, isn't it?
First minute, 0-0: Will we see Downing deployed on the right? It's likely with Bellamy in the team.
Shelvey could be operating in the attacking midfield role with Henderson and Adam holding behind him.
Kuyt and Carragher sit cross-armed and motionless on the bench. The two senior pros are clearly not entirely comfortable with their current lots.
Pregame: Dalglish produced a bit of a surprise in his selection, opting for Shelvey in the starting lineup. It's a big chance for the big, young midfielder. He was supposed to be patrolling the fields in the Championship through December, but Lucas' injury changed all that.
Bellamy is also restored to the starting 11 after watching most of last week's win over QPR from the bench.
Dirk Kuyt and Maxi will have to watch most of this one. They formed a dangerous trident with Suarez last week but, for Dalglish, this game requires a different approach.
For Aston Villa, Darren Bent (illness) and Gabby Agbonlahor (suspension) are out. That's a real blow to Villa. Heskey, Delfouneso and N'Zogbia will be its main threats going forward (from the outset at least).
We're also going to be deprived of seeing Bannan from the start. The Scottish schemer is one of the league's bright young talents and a bit of a character as well. His recent drunk-driving arrest put him in McLeish's doghouse and it seems like he'll have to work his way out of it.
8:30 a.m.: Here are the lineups
Liverpool
Pepe Reina (25), goalkeeper
Glen Johnson (2), right back
Daniel Agger (5), center back
Martin Skrtel (37), center back
Jose Enrique (3), left back
Charlie Adam (26), midfielder
Stuart Downing (19), midfielder
Jordan Henderson (14), midfielder
Jonjo Shelvey (33), midfielder
Craig Bellamy (39), forward
Luis Suarez (7), forward
Substitutes
Doni (32), goalkeeper
Jamie Carragher (23), defender
Martin Kelly (34), defender
Sebastian Coates (16), defender
Dirk Kuyt (18), midfielder
Maxi (11), forward
Andy Carroll (9), striker
Aston Villa
Brad Guzan (22), goalkeeper
Alan Hutton (2), right back
Richard Dunne (5), center back
James Collins (6), center back
Stephen Warnock (3), left back
Marc Albrighton (12), midfielder
Fabian Delph (16), midfielder
Stilian Petrov (19), midfielder
Charles N'Zogbia (10), tricky midfielder
Nathan Delfouneso (14), forward
Emile Heskey (18), striker
Substitutes
Andy Marshall (33), goalkeeper
Ciaran Clark (21), defender
Carolos Cuellar (24), defender
Barry Bannan (25), midfielder
Daniel Johnson (35), midfielder
Graham Burke (36), forward
Andreas Weimann (26), striker
12:00 a.m. ET: Ask Kenny Dalglish and he'll tell you it's just another game. But Sunday's English Premier League contest between Liverpool and Aston Villa will be the legendary Scotsman's 350th in charge of the Reds.
Liverpool comes into the game in seventh place but a win would move it within two points of fourth. There is no news on the injury front, and Dalglish will likely field a familiar team at Villa Park. The ability to win on the road is the mark of a good team, and the Reds will look to continue their encouraging road form. They have emerged victorious on four of seven away trips this season.
The hosts have largely struggled in their first season under manager Alex McLeish. They come into the game in tenth place, but their performances have improved in recent weeks. Last week's win at Bolton was their first victory in over a month and only their third since Oct. 1.
Stewart Downing returns to the place he called home for two years before joining the Reds last summer. In his last scene in Villa colors, the LFC winger scored the winner against his current team. If he repeats the feat it would mark his first goal for Liverpool.
Join us at 9 a.m. ET for our Liverpool live blog. We'll have all the action right here.
