Liverpool look champion class

Anfield was the best and worst of Liverpool. For 50 minutes they wove pretty patterns yet hardly seemed capable of breaking Villa down from open play. Then, for 12 minutes, they tore Villa apart with three goals, the second of which was the culmination of the type of sublime passing movement that has long been an Anfield trademark.

Regarding their position at the top of the Premiership, well, it's surely the mark of worthy league leaders that they can endure the loss of five regulars, give debuts to two players, and still win a game 3-0.

Without Barnes, Thomas, Berger, Ruddock, and Jones, through a combination of injuries and suspensions, they ride the title race of one of its outside bets.

Roy Evans sprung a surprise by starting Bjorn Kvarme, a Norwegian who he only signed on Friday, and Jamie Carragher, a 19-year old youth scheme graduate.

They were both inspired selections.

Carragher recovered from the shock of being booked for a late tackle after only 21 seconds to strike the first goal while Kvarme proved an excellent defensive foil to Wright and Matteo.

The result and second half performance will comfort Liverpool, but the opening period was a more realistic microcosm of much of their season so far. They owned the ball for long spells, now and again displaying the full range of their skills, replete with wonderful back heels and confounding dummies. Even if Collymore and Fowler had one of their out of sync days, it was typically wonderful to watch, especially when Steve McManaman was in full flow. Villa's decision not to man mark him meant that was often.

For all that, the first half ended scoreless and it was actually Villa who created the better chances, despite enjoying a meagre ration of possession.

In the opening eight minutes, Tommy Johnson and Savo Milosevic drew good saves from David James as Villa's attack exposed Kvarme's early nervousness along the right.

Liverpool seemed to take their cue from James's resilience however and finally started to play. Starting only his fifth game of the season, Jamie Redknapp looked capable of dominating Villa's midfield, where Sasa Curcic had no appetite for work, and Tommy Johnson was too often out of position.

Andy Townsend did offer sporadic resistance but once McManaman's pace came into play, even he was floundering. It was ironic that after a period of almost complete Liverpool dominance, their first real shot on goal came from a set piece in the 20th minute. McManaman whipped in a corner and Jason McAteer connected with a superb volley that was matched by Mark Bosnich's save. Carl Tiler was first to the rebound at the expense of a corner.

Mark Wright met the second kick perfectly only to see the ball swept off the line by Alan Wright for yet another corner. Villa dealt with the third strike easily. Still, Liverpool's purple patch continued as McAteer reprised his earlier volley. He failed to reach the target this time and it was a similar story when Redknapp ballooned a long range effort over the bar two minutes later.

Taking full advantage of the reprieve, Villa created some openings themselves. Yorke played a neat one-two with Scimeca on the edge of the box but could only manage to poke the ball the wrong side of the post. He went close again after 35 minutes, flicking a Curcic shot goal-bound. James called his legs into play to deflect the ball out for a corner.

With half-time looming, Curcic put Milosevic through and, after some harassment from Matteo, he hit the side netting.

Roy Evans must have been glad to hear the half time whistle and, to his credit, the team emerged a different force after their spell in his company.

They began the second half with a couple of determined offensives. one of which culminated in a corner. Bjornebye took the kick and Carragher was on hand to head it home. Suitably invigorated, the home team poured forward in search of another. It came seven minutes later at the end of a move which epitomised everything good about every Liverpool team. Taking possession on the right hand side of their own area, it took seven passes to transfer the ball to the danger zone on the other wing. Villa seemed mesmerised by the fluidity of the move, and McAteer floated the cross for Collymore to head it past Bosnich.

Villa came back in similar circumstances against Newcastle last Saturday, but this week there was to be no resurrection. Stooping to collect a 25 yard daisy cutter from Redknapp, Bosnich failed to gather the ball properly and Fowler was on hand to capitalise. There were still 30 minutes left but it was exhibition stuff after that. A ground that has grown strangely' accustomed to the fans booing the home team in recent months, resounded to the sound of a song from a more familiar era in the last quarter. "We're going to win the League," they chanted. Maybe not an idle boast either.