Aston Villa managed to finish in the top half of the Premier League table courtesy of a 1-0 home win over Liverpool today.
Despite a bright beginning, Liverpool found themselves behind when Stewart Downing found space in the area when Marc Albrighton's deep cross found him on a tight angle and he was able to fire into the roof of the net for eighth goal of the season.
The Reds again enjoyed more possession following the goal and would have been hoping that the beach ball that appeared on the pitch after half-time would not impede them like it did against Sunderland last season.
They should have equalised right on the hour-mark when Raul Meireles hit a well-struck shot from the six-yard box which somehow Brad Friedel kept out before Fabio Aurelio was only inches away with his 70th minute free-kick.
Liverpool's Jay Spearing needed to be replaced by Jonjo Shelvey in just the 12th minute as he came off the pitch with an injury whilst Jamie Carragher returned to the field just prior to the half-hour mark after having five stitches for a gash on his head but nonetheless, the visitors were beaten and have to deal with a sixth-place finish after Tottenham beat Birmingham City.
Aston Villa: 1 (Stewart Downing 33') Liverpool: 0
Venue: Villa Park, Birmingham Crowd: 42,785 Referee: Lee Probert Yellow cards:AV - Nigel Reo-Coker 7', Kyle Walker 56'
LIV - Raul Meireles 41', Joe Cole 64'
Starting Line-Ups
Villa Brad Friedel (gk) - Kyle Waker, James Collins, Richard Dunne, Luke Young - Stewart Downing, Fabian Delph (Albrighton 28'), Stiliyan Petrov, Nigel Reo-Coker (Agbonlahor 68'), Ashley Young (Bradley 89') - Darren Bent
Subs - Andy Marshall (gk), Marc Albrighton (28'), Gabriel Agbonlahor (68'), Michael Bradley (89'), Emile Heskey, Robert Pires, Ciaran Clark
Liverpool Pepe Reina (gk) - John Flanagan, Martin Skrtel, Jamie Carragher, Fabio Aurelio - Joe Cole (Ngog 68'), Jay Spearing (Shelvey 12'), Lucas Leiva, Dirk Kuyt - Luis Suarez, Raul Meireles
Subs - Peter Gulacsi (gk), Jonjo Shelvey (12'), David Ngog (68'), Christian Poulsen, Danny Wilson, Jack Robinson, Andre Wisdom
