New signings Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio started for Villa for the first time. However, neither of them made an impact in the 67 minutes they were on the pitch. Rashford did not have many opportunities to make runs down the left wing or shoot, despite facing Trent Alexander-Arnold – a defender who is not highly regarded for his defensive ability.

Similarly, Asensio has not yet found his best touch on the ball. The former Real Madrid youngster repeatedly passed too early or inaccurately, causing Villa to miss quick opportunities to.

The home team’s vertical axis, especially the two central midfielders Youri Tielemans and John McGinn, played excellently and dominated Liverpool’s midfield in the first half. Despite new signing Andres Garcia’s mistake, giving Mohamed Salah the opening goal, the home team still put enough pressure on Liverpool to continuously expose gaps in front of the defense.