Pre Match *Saturday, 10 April 2021* *Villa manager Dean Smith* ​"It would have been unthinkable at the start of the season, [competing for the top eight] having stayed up by the skin of our teeth last season. ​"Some of the results we’ve had this season, certainly the consistency we showed up until January, we’ve been a bit up and down since then. "Defensively, we’ve been strong but we’ve probably dropped off in the attacking third and that’s something that the last 20 minutes against Fulham pleased me with. [Scoring 3 goals to win 3-1] "We’ve got to go into each game believing that we can finish in that top eight. There’s certainly a will from the players. ​"We have to prepare and put in a really good performance [against Liverpool]. We had a lot of players playing at their top level that day (for the 7-2 win over Liverpool earlier in the season) with running stats outstanding. ​"We have to make sure physically and mentally we have to approach the game in the same vein and, if we do so, we've got a chance of winning." --- Post Match *Saturday, 10 April 2021* *Villa manager Dean Smith* ​"We deserved a point, we were better in the second half after not being great. But we lost the second half 2-0, football does that to you sometimes. ​"We had a lapse in concentration, we had some good opportunities and didn't have that final pass in the final third. ​"We've come to Liverpool, knew how they would play and how determined they were to put things right at Anfield but it's disappointing to concede so late. ​"Ollie Watkins played well again, he's got four goals against the champions but we leave with nothing. ​"Douglas Luiz's English isn't the best. The doctor thought he said he had double vision but when he came off the translator came down and cleared it up and he was ok to carry on." ​"It just shows you how painful football can be at times when you play better the second half and concede two goals and lose the game. ​"I thought Liverpool had to be at their best to beat us. First half we weren’t great but second half we had good counter-attacking opportunities and got some overloads in the final third, we've been unlucky where we hit the post as well, so it wasn't meant to be unfortunately. It's disappointing to concede so late. ​"We have come a long way but the boys are never satisfied. It's always hard to lose - especially when you have taken the lead. I think that's only the second time this season we have lost a lead. We are disappointed with that but we have come up against a quality team but the opportunities we had in the second half we should've put away." ​"Trézéguet has come on as a sub last week and made an impact and played well again today and played his part. Unfortunately he's gone off injured. We're a little bit worried to see what the extent of the injury is. He's a little bit upset, but we'll see over time." ​"[Jack Grealish] isn't close. He had a set back in training last week and he'll be out for at least a few weeks." --- *Saturday, 10 April 2021* *Villa leading scorer Ollie Watkins* ​"It's tough, we didn't deserve to be up at half-time but in the second half we were resilient and if we had taken our chances it could have been 2-0. ​"A point would have been fair but it's swings and roundabouts. We were unlucky but we'll learn from this. ​"I felt that with their high line I would get chances and I got one today - but we could have exposed them more with balls down the side. The celebration was because we've got a baby on the way! ​"I'm here to score goals and I want to contribute." ---