Gerrard inspires Reds rout

Steven Gerrard scored a hat-trick as Liverpool stormed to a 5-0 win over out of form Aston Villa.

Liverpool skipper scores three as Reds thump 10-man Villa 5-0

Steven Gerrard scored a hat-trick as Liverpool stormed to a 5-0 win over out-of-form Aston Villa to move up to second and within a point of leaders Manchester United. The Reds skipper was involved from the off as he whipped in a dangerous free-kick which found Xabi Alonso. His flicked header came back off the bar and Dirk Kuyt was on hand to drill home the opener after eight minutes. Albert Riera made it two when he raced on to a long kick from goalkeeper Pepe Reina 25 minutes later and Gerrard claimed his first of the day when he converted a penalty on 39 minutes after Nigel Reo-Coker had felled Riera. The hosts began the second half like they ended the first with Gerrard grabbing his second five minutes after the break when he placed a free-kick from just outside the box past Brad Friedel. The scoring was completed when Gerrard converted his second penalty of the day on 65 minutes after Friedel had been sent-off for bringing down Fernando Torres in the box. Liverpool had Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa back from respective ankle and hamstring injuries that ruled them out of last weekend's win at Manchester United, with Sami Hyypia and Lucas relegated to the bench. They were joined there by defender Daniel Agger, who has only played one game since mid-December after a variety of injury problems. Villa boss Martin O'Neill left out striker Gabriel Agbonlahor, who has scored only twice since before Christmas and was booed by his club's own fans last weekend. Defender Zat Knight was also on the bench, with John Carew and Curtis Davies back in the side.

Solemn

There was still a solemn start to the proceedings, with a minute's silence following the death yesterday of 56-year-old club secretary Bryce Morrison, after he had flown back from the Champions League draw in Switzerland. Morrison, who had worked at Anfield for 17 years, suffered a heart attack at home. Both teams wore black armbands. The game got off to a blistering start, and after eight minutes Liverpool were ahead. Alonso's header from Gerrard's free-kick cracked against the bar, and Dirk Kuyt reacted quickest to blast the ball home from 12 yards. At the other end Ashley Young's cross arrowed in from the left and Carew's flick at the near post almost caught out Jose Reina - but the goalkeeper tipped the ball over the angle. The contest was ferocious, and Gerrard was then rightly booked for a fierce, late, challenge on Davies. Then Reina made another outstanding save to his left to claw away a towering header from Carew - who played under Benitez at Valencia. Liverpool were relentless and after 33 minutes they claimed a second goal. Reina's 80-yard clearance was allowed to bounce once on the edge of the area by a Villa defence pre-occupied with Torres and Riera took full advantage by smashing the dropping ball high into the net. It could have been three when Arbeloa intercepted a bad Friedel clearance inside the Villa box, but he chose to pass to Torres rather than shooting himself.

Smashed

But the third was not long coming. After 39 minutes Riera controlled a searching crossfield pass from Kuyt, and was brought down in the box by Nigel Reo-Coker. Gerrard smashed home the spot-kick. Any thoughts of a Villa revival were crushed after 50 minutes when Carlos Cuellar brought down Kuyt on the edge of the box and Gerrard drilled the free-kick low to Friedel's left and into the bottom corner. Former Reds striker Emile Heskey had a header held by Reina, but was by now being employed on the left trying to halt Arbeloa and Kuyt's flow down the flank - with Young switched to a central attacking role. The ploy did not last long - Agbonlahor replaced Heskey after 58 minutes, with Young back on the line- but things got worse for Villa after 63 minutes when Friedel was dismissed for clashing with Torres and Gerrard drilled home the fifth past Villa's reserve keeper Brad Guzan. Lucas, Agger and David Ngog replaced Alonso, Arbeloa and Gerrard in the closing minutes of a comprehensive victory.

Liverpool	Team Statistics	Aston Villa
5	Goals	0
3	1st Half Goals	0
7	Shots on Target	3
11	Shots off Target	3
1	Blocked Shots	1
4	Corners	6
10	Fouls	14
1	Offsides	1
1	Yellow Cards	3
0	Red Cards	1
85.2	Passing Success	72
28	Tackles	23
96.4	Tackles Success	87
62.1	Possession	37.9
43.7	Territorial Advantage	56.3