LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 24, 2013: Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge celebrates scoring the first goal against Aston Villa during the Premiership match at Villa Park. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Same again as Sturridge scores winner at Villa

Daniel Sturridge scored the only goal of the game again as Liverpool kept their 100% start to the season with a 1-0 win at Villa Park on Saturday.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 24, 2013: Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge celebrates scoring the first goal against Aston Villa during the Premiership match at Villa Park. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool
Premier League
Saturday, 24th August 2013
Villa Park

Goals: Sturridge (21)

Same starting 11, same goalscorer, same scorline; Liverpool produced a result and performance almost identical to their opening day victory over Stoke last week. Daniel Sturridge again scoring the only goal and Simon Mignolet again keeping the opposition out with some superb saves.

This was the first time Liverpool have won their opening two league games in five years, Brendan Rodgers’ side completely dominated the opening 35 minutes but didn’t have it all their own way in the second half in particular.

Sturridge expertly took his goal, finishing from close range after rounding the keeper and poking into the roof of the net from a tight angle. He and Coutinho again linked up well again.

New signing Aly Cissokho made his debut mid-way through the second half, replacing Iago Aspas – who struggled to make an impression on the game – to add some solidity to the side as Villa began to place more pressure.

Sturridge was denied a clear penalty late-on by referee Mark Clattenburg, brought down just inside the box by keeper Brad Guzan.

Much of the credit must go to Liverpool, who once again displayed why there is a growing sense of optimism around Anfield at the start of the season.

BBC Sport

Liverpool Line-Up vs Aston Villa:

[team1]

Subs: Jones, Borini, Wisdom, Alberto, Allen (Coutinho 83), Sterling, Cissokho (Aspas 69).

Aston Villa: Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar, Okore, Luna, Bacuna, Delph, Westwood, Agbonlahor, Benteke, Weimann.

Subs: Steer, Clark, El Ahmadi, Helenius, Herd, Sylla, Tonev.

Referee: Mark Clattenburg
Attendance: 42,098

Today’s Premier League Results

Fulham 1-3 Arsenal
Everton 0-0 West Brom
Hull 1-0 Norwich
Newcastle 0-0 West Ham
Southampton 1-1 Sunderland
Stoke 2-1 Crystal Palace

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