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Liverpool 0 Aston Villa 1

Gabby Agbonlahor immediately started to pay back his new four-year contract with the winner for Aston Villa at Anfield.

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The club's longest-serving player, who put pen to paper on fresh terms this week, scored the only goal of the game just nine minutes in which beat Liverpool on their own turf.

Villa had displayed a great deal of gusto from the off, pressing and not allowing Liverpool anytime on the ball, and it wasn't long before they were rewarded for their efforts.

Philippe Senderos' header goal-bound header was blocked by Javier Manquillo, only to fall to the feet of Agbonlahor who quickly turned the ball in from close range.

Villa could have doubled their lead soon after, but an unmarked Senderos failed to capitalise on the acres of space afforded to him by a fragile Liverpool defence.

Soon after the goal, the game settled into a fairly predictable routine - Liverpool enjoying the lion share of possession but failing to manufacture any genuine chances on goal.

Villa's obvious desire to protect their slender lead resulted in Lambert's men dropping deeper and deeper into their own half, inviting pressure.

They held on for an impressive result and survived the onslaught like when, with just 10 minutes of normal time remaining, Philippe Coutinho carved-out Liverpool's best effort.

The Brazilian turned Alan Hutton inside-out, before striking a looping shot that struck the base of goalkeeper Brad Guzan's post.