Ashley [Cole] was brilliant, Riccy [Carvalho], [Branislav] Ivanovic brilliant, reallysolid, but then going forward we were great and caughtthem a few times on the counter-attack.
The Merseysiders were briefly forced on the back foot as Villa settled into a pattern of counter-attacking football, with John Carew muscling his way into the box to force Howard into a double save from Ashley Young after a brilliant block from Phil Jagielka.
The atrocious conditions ensured set-pieces were always likeliest to produce goals and a brilliant whipped-in free-kick from Ashley Young was met by Sidwell but he could not keep his header on target.