Five-star Liverpool continue dream run
Steven Gerrard has 21 goals this season
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Sunday, 22, Mar 2009 09:51
Liverpool have thumped Aston Villa 5-0 at Anfield to close the gap on Premier League leaders Manchester United.
The Reds are now a point behind United after a hat-trick from Steven Gerrard, while Dirk Kuyt and Albert Riera also netted. Villa had goalkeeper Brad Friedel sent off in the second half after conceding a penalty.
Sir Alex Ferguson's side have a game-in-hand but will be worried about the Reds' recent form, which has seen them score 13 goals in their last three games.
And Rafael Benitez's side ensured they capitalised on United's defeat to Fulham yesterday with an emphatic display against Martin O'Neill's side.
They took just 11 minutes to break the deadlock with Xabi Alonso's header rattling the crossbar and Kuyt was on hand to rifle in the rebound.
The home side continued their frenetic tempo with Gerrard hooking an effort inches wide.
Liverpool then had Pepe Reina to thank for keeping them ahead after the Spaniard kept out John Carew's effort with his finger-tips, before beating away the striker's header.
Reina was involved in helping the Reds go 2-0 up when he launched a long clearance, allowing Riera to fire in a volley off the underside of the bar on 36 minutes.
Six minutes later, the game was wrapped up when Riera was tripped by Nigel Reo-Coker to concede a penalty. Gerrard stepped up and sent Friedel the wrong way to make it 3-0.
Gerrard led the onslaught in the second-half and made it 4-0 with a quickly taken free-kick from 22 yards that he stroked into the corner on 49 minutes.
And the England midfielder completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Friedel was sent off for bringing down Fernando Torres. Friedel's fellow countryman Brad Guzan replaced him and his first task was picking the ball out of the net after Gerrard slotted in the penalty for his 21st goal of the season.
Guzan prevented further embarrassment for the visitors by keeping out efforts from Javier Mascherano and Torres in the closing stages.
But the heavy defeat means Villa are without a win in seven games and are three points behind fourth-placed Arsenal in the battle for the last Champions League place.