Aston Villa 1 Liverpool 2 - match report
Steven Gerrard's penalty condemned Villa to defeat against Liverpool to keep them in the Premier League drop zone.
The England midfielder scored from the spot on the hour after Nathan Baker chopped down Luis Suarez.
Jordan Henderson's 47th minute strike had cancelled out Christian Benteke's first-half opener.
Benteke also had an injury time strike ruled out for offside while Andi Weimann and Gabby Agbonlahor also missed fine chances.
Defeat left Villa in the bottom three on goal difference ahead of Saturday's vital trip to Stoke.
Joe Bennett returned for the injured Ciaran Clark and Villa began brightly and Agbonlahor should have fired them ahead on 15 minutes.
Weimann had seen his shot blocked and when the ball was swung back in the striker stole in ahead of the visitor's defence but only fired straight at Pepe Reina from six yards.
Brad Guzan then turned Suarez's effort over before Villa took a deserved lead on 31 minutes.
Ashley Westwood's raking pass found Agbonlahor and he teed up Benteke to hit a wonderful first-time volley into the bottom corner from 18-yards.
Liverpool responded and Guzan saved at Suarez's feet before turning Gerrard's 25-yard drive away.
The visitors levelled just two minutes after the break when Philippe Coutinho's defence splitting pass found Henderson to clip over Guzan.
It was the cue for Liverpool to up the tempo and Coutinho should have scored instead of firing wide when clean through before Glen Johnson hit the post.
The goal was coming and it arrived on the hour when Baker chopped down Suarez in the area and Gerrard scored from the spot.
The England midfielder then saved Liverpool five minutes later when he brilliantly cleared Benteke's header off the line.
Weimann blazed over soon after but the visitors were increasingly comfortable and Suarez almost added a third late on but failed to round Guzan.
And Benteke thought he had levelled when he prodded past Reina in stoppage time but his late show was ruled out for offside.
