DALIAN ATKINSON was Aston Villa’s hero-turned-villain as grateful Liverpool collected their sixth straight home win at Anfield.

Atkinson put Villa on course for a victory they badly wanted to reduce Manchester United's overwhelming Premiership lead, but then recklessly handed back the initiative to a Liverpool side, struggling once again to paper over the cracks caused by a crippling injury list.

Atkinson's opportunist ninth goal of the season, early in the second half of a thrilling Anfield encounter, ensured that Villa, unlucky to be trailing to a goal by Robbie Fowler just before the interval, were not behind long.

But within eight minutes Atkinson had undone his good work with an appallingly loose pass which set up the winner for Jamie Redknapp.

Villa, proudly defending an unbeaten away record, were showing signs of producing the ideal response to manager Ron Atkinson's heavily critical appraisal of their home defeat by Southampton last Wednesday.

With Paul McGrath again outstanding in a reshuffled Villa defence, which was missing Shaun Teale, who has had an operation on his nose, Villa came through an early assault by a Liverpool team who had won their previous five home matches.

But Villa looked the more likely winners until Fowler's 11th goal in as many games.

The Villa manager, however, still fancied his team to pick up maximum points. During his interval pep talk, he reminded them they had come back powerfully to win from a similar position last year - and when his namesake equalised, he was even more confident.

Later he refused to condemn Dalian Atkinson for his basic error, which left Villa chasing a point in less composed fashion for the last half hour.

Villa were rushing forward in numbers when Atkinson's hopelessly misdirected pass allowed Fowler to launch a rapid counter-attack which was finished by Redknapp's shot going through the legs of Mark Bosnich.

"I'm not too unhappy because at least we looked like a decent team today." said Ron Atkinson.

"I enjoyed that game more than some of the matches we have won this season."

So did the crowd of 38,484 who had braved the Siberian wind to watch two teams who are realistically out of the title race, though not out of the running for European qualifying place.

The home supporters warmed to the predatory skills of Fowler, who showed great maturity for his tender years when he headed home the opening goal.

Dominic Matteo, another of the talented youngsters on whom Graeme Souness has based his rebuilding plans, sent over the cross which found Fowler with his back to goal.

The teenager showed great awareness in flicking the ball over the badly-positioned Bosnich.

Villa, angered that their impressive first-half work should come to nothing, almost equalised immediately when former Liverpool striker Dean Saunders rattled the crossbar with a superb volley.

Garry Parker also hit the Liverpool bar in the second half, while Grobbelaar made several valuable saves, the best of them to prevent Atkinson from profiting from an inviting chip from Ray Houghton.

Grobbelaar was possibly at fault for Atkinson's goal, although the lion's share of the blame must go to Steve Nicol, whose weak back-header allowed the striker to pounce.

Villa's green and black away strip again proved a problem with Chester-le-Street referee Alan Wilkie having to put a white top over his green shirt midway through the first half to avoid a clash.

Wilkie and both linesmen were kitted out with white tops for the second half.