Aston Villa 0 Liverpool 0No team's season can be judged after two matches but it is not only Liverpool's points total which suggests the Premiership will be beyond them. Yesterday's display hardly indicated they are capable of taking their first title since 1990.
Short of fluency and inspiration, Gerard Houllier's players deserved no more than a point. They came close to a winner in the final five minutes but that would have been harsh on Aston Villa, who can be encouraged by their first home game under David O'Leary.
With Harry Kewell a quiet figure used mainly on the right, there was little to distinguish this showing from the often humdrum ones which left them fifth last season. Already they trail Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea by five points and this result, after a home defeat by Chelsea, does not inspire confidence.
Talk of a crisis would be premature but this is a vital campaign for Houllier and Liverpool fans will expect improvement at home to Tottenham and at Everton this week. Manchester United recovered from a poor start last season but it is doubtful whether Liverpool possess commensurate self-belief.
Houllier was "pleased" with his side's response to the Chelsea defeat but this hardly amounted to a roaring statement of intent. It contrasted markedly with Arsenal's destruction of Middlesbrough.
Kewell should have scored and Thomas Sorensen made four good stops but Liverpool did not convince. A post rescued them once, Jerzy Dudek saved them three times at the start of the second half, Kewell looked uncomfortable on the right and concern surrounds the discipline of Steven Gerrard.
Sent off at Chelsea in the final game of last season and against Galatasaray in pre-season, the midfielder twice lunged into two-footed tackles, yet escaped without even a booking. Of course, the Football Association could act if the referee Paul Durkin says he was unsighted.
Gerrard's first challenge, on JLloyd Samuel, prompted a shouting match between O'Leary and Houllier's assistant, Phil Thompson. "I have no complaints," said O'Leary later but frustration may be getting the better of Gerrard, whose body language sometimes suggested he feels he is carrying too much responsibility for rousing Liverpool.
The 23-year-old has indicated his future at Anfield could hinge on a top-four finish. "We need to find a level of consistency and get back in the Champions League," he said. "That is the main thing for me. I don't want to be playing UEFA Cup again next year."
To that end Liverpool need to get more from Kewell, who switched flanks in both halves to little effect. Yet whether the right flank is Kewell's best position is debatable. He invariably cut inside, which slowed his momentum, and was well looked after by Samuel.
Michael Owen had little service and Emile Heskey was disappointing after a blow on the shin. Olof Mellberg impressed at the heart of Villa's defence, though he and Sorensen were involved in two misunderstandings which almost proved costly. Sorensen's reflexes rescued Villa on occasion but equally important contributions came in the central midfield, where Gareth Barry and Gavin McCann set the tone O'Leary desires.
With Darius Vassell willing to stretch Liverpool by running wide or through the middle, Villa had chances. Dudek saved from Juan Pablo Angel, Mark Delaney and Vassell, and was grateful to see an Angel free-kick strike a post. When Barry shot just wide, Dudek will again have sighed with relief. After that Sorensen saved from Milan Baros and from John Arne Riise, but Liverpool would not have deserved a win.
