Liverpool 3 Aston Villa 1: Benitez's sharp response

In the context of a title race in which most form assessments have already written them off as a virtual non-runner, this might not count for a great deal, but it was difficult not to be impressed with Liverpool yesterday. It did nothing to affect the daunting gap they must close if they are to catch Manchester United and Chelsea but after taking only one point from three matches before yesterday Liverpool at least produced a performance to take the heat off manager Rafa Benitez.

Villa, whose previously unbeaten start to the season had been no fluke, gave them something to think about in the second half but by then Liverpool had put the outcome pretty much out of sight, goals by Dirk Kuyt, Peter Crouch and Luis Garcia giving them a 3-0 half-time lead.

The result assumed greater significance for Benitez following the dissenting comments that were leaked from an unnamed Liverpool director last week. While the anonymity of the source devalues the sentiments there is no doubt they will have rung true with some supporters dismayed at what appears to be a seriously damaged title challenge.

Again, however, Benitez is well placed to defend the rotation policy that has brought him so much criticism.

"The team we put out today was strong in that it was well balanced and if we had only to play one game a week maybe I would pick it again for the next game," he said. "But if you have two games a week and you have the option to rest the players who need longer to recover between games, then why take the risk?" Cue changes, then, for Bordeaux in the Champions' League on Tuesday, perhaps involving Gerrard, who had to be replaced after suffering what Benitez called "a knock" late on.

The key difference for Liverpool yesterday was that they played at a high tempo throughout in the style that had characterised the impressive run with which they ended last season. Even before Kuyt gave them the lead in the 32nd minute, Villa had been under serious pressure as Garcia provided effective width on the left, Crouch won most of the balls in the air and the combination of Xabi Alonso and Mohamed Sissoko controlled midfield.

The opening goal came after Olof Mellberg was booked for a foul on Sissoko. Gerrard's freekick found Sami Hyypia and the defender's knock-down was driven home by Kuyt, registering his third Premiership goal. At this point Villa were barely able to escape their own half and Martin O'Neill's warning that his side's solid start to the season would be undermined sooner or later proved painfully accurate. By half-time, Liverpool were guaranteed three points. Crouch had doubled their lead, beating Thomas Sorensen with a shot that looked typically awkward but was effective, before Garcia rounded off a flowing move involving Gerrard, Kuyt and Crouch by slotting home.

O'Neill made changes at half-time, switching Gabriel Agbonlahor to central striker and sacrificing both first-half strikers, Milan Baros and Juan Pablo Angel, in favour of Chris Sutton and Didier Agathe. Agbonlahor pulled a goal back in the 56th minute, feeding on Sutton's pass, and it then took an excellent save from Jose Reina to keep out a Sutton header but Liverpool continued to hold sway. Gerrard - whose influence was by no means limited on the right - had chances, as did Hyypia and Garcia to extend their advantage.