*Taylor keeps his eye on the prize*

The football played a secondary role to memories of the 96 Liverpool supporters who lost their lives a decade ago on an emotion-charged Anfield occasion. In such circumstances, it was, therefore, perhaps not surprising that Liverpool should produce the sort of perfunctory performance that has so blighted their season.

Ian Taylor’s first-half goal made it one win in eight for the Merseyside club who are now accepting the prospect of failing to qualify for Europe for only the third time since they first ventured abroad in 1964.

It was a strange and emotional afternoon, one in which the football scarcely mattered as the game paid its respects to the dead of Hillsborough. Every Premier League ground held its minute silence but, naturally, at Anfield the day was weighted with special significance.

Villa played their part admirably, the travelling supporters behaving impeccably and keeper Mark Bosnich and substitute Paul Merson laying wreaths in front of the Kop before kick-off. That air of goodwill between rival clubs seemed to extend to the contest once it started. A place in Europe is still on the agenda, for Villa at least, but the level of competitiveness did not reflect that.

Robbie Fowler capped a promising Steve McManaman-inspired break with an errant 20-yard shot and Mark Draper’s free-kick found Taylor at the far post whose touch-on sparked a furious scramble, ultimately tidied up by Jamie Carragher. By halfway through the first period, the thoughts of the Kop clearly lay elsewhere, a chant of “Stand up if you want justice” bringing the stand to its feet and quickly travelling around the stadium.

Inevitably, given the current fragility of the Liverpool psyche, the first concerted Villa attack brought a goal and a predictably muted response from Anfield. Alan Wright’s left-wing cross found Julian Joachim unmarked and his 15-yard drive was intercepted, and practically walked past James into the goal, by Taylor.

The goal at least raised the level of competition, Rigobert Song soon getting booked for a quite dreadful two-footed lunge on Lee Hendrie. On the stroke of half-time Carragher made a timely goal-line clearance after Dion Dublin had met Steve Watson’s cross for what looked like being goal number two.

Shortly after the restart keeper James did his utmost to present Villa with precisely that, delaying his kick from a Carragher backpass and coming within inches of Joachim intercepting. It was the wake-up call Liverpool needed and, with Oyvind Leonhardsen providing better balance on the left of midfield as a half-time substitute, started at least worrying the visitors’ defence.