Torres’ goal lifted Rafa Benítez’s side above Birmingham City into seventh place, but victory still came at a cost with Glen Johnson limping off.
As the snow and the mercury level dropped at Ice Station Villa Park, mistakes arose. Jamie Carragher slipped. So did Torres. And that was just in the first minute. For a mid-season game, the stakes were far higher than the temperature.
Aware of the immense significance of the match, Liverpool were slightly nervy in the opening stages, making misjudgements and occasional fouls.
Lucas clattered James Milner, the Villa flier relishing the uncertainty the conditions instilled in defenders. Racing at Emiliano Insua, Milner was immediately sent thudding to the tundra by the startled left-back.
Alongside Lucas was Alberto Aquilani, making only a second league start to his injury-ravaged season. Bought with great fanfare in the autumn, billed as the man to help the Kop forget Xabi Alonso and bring Liverpool some glory, the Italian midfielder rather resembles a fireman arriving on the scene to find only embers.
With their season in shreds, Liverpool had known they simply could not fall further behind in the race for fourth place.
Like the snow, Gerrard and company began to settle, gradually finding their stride, attacking the Holte End with increasing pace and purpose.
Their system was familiar, 4-2-3-1, and old warhorses like Carragher started to give them a strong look at the back. Johnson began pushing down the right. When Torres turned the ball inside to Gerrard after 19 minutes, the Liverpool captain responded with a magnificent dinked first-time shot that had Brad Friedel scrambling backwards to tip over.
Dirk Kuyt buzzed around and Benayoun always looked to break into the box, testing Friedel with a snap-shot and then sent crashing by Luke Young. Daniel Agger laid the free kick off to Gerrard, whose shot was deflected over by John Carew.
A few fears bit into Villa’s marrow. Martin O’Neill roamed his technical area like a master on a school trip checking where all his pupils were in the blizzard.
Missing the suspended Ashley Young and injured Emile Heskey, the hosts lined up in 4-4-2 fashion, relying increasingly on the right-sided Milner for much of their forward impetus as well as the drive of Gabby Agbonlahor through the middle.
From one Milner break, Stiliyan Petrov was off-target with an ambitious bicycle kick. It was a surprise that his spokes hadn’t frozen.
Villa almost scored on the half-hour. Carew, increasingly prominent, set the scene by winning a corner off Johnson. Milner bent over a ball which cleared the soaked thicket in the centre, reaching Stewart Downing at the far post.
The England winger caught the ball brilliantly, sending it first time at speed towards goal where Pepe Reina made an astonishing save. Reacting instinctively, the Spaniard flicked out a fist and punched the ball away. Reina did well not to lose any fingers such was the fierce nature of Downing’s shot.
Liverpool hit back. A split-second after laying the ball off in the Villa box, Kuyt was clattered by Richard Dunne, sparking huge protests from Benítez on the Liverpool bench. Kuyt, though, hardly appealed and the referee, Lee Probert, waved play on. Close call.
Back came Villa, Milner again shining, switching with Downing and running at Johnson. One clever turn on the touchline utterly deceived the England right-back and Milner was away, showing his versatility by lifting in a left-footed cross that Carew headed at Reina.
The temperature rose briefly when Dunne went in hard on Lucas, eliciting more protests and a caution for the Villa centre-half. Lucas then decided to enact revenge but elected to pick on Agbonlahor, earning a booking.
Liverpool finished the half on a more positive note, a fine, slick-passing move carrying the ball between Aquilani and Gerrard to Torres, whose route to goal was expertly blocked off by Stephen Warnock, the left-back showing the expertise that Benítez surprisingly sold.
The game was increasingly passing Aquilani by and when Nigel Reo-Coker darted away from him, the Italian’s response was poor, failing to track back, leaving Lucas to clear up the mess.
More reliable souls were working harder for the Liverpool cause. Though inhibited by his hernia problem, Torres sought to impose his skills, dribbling through just before the hour only for his intentions to be read well by Dunne.
Carlos Cuéllar was less impressive in dealing with a Gerrard run, scything down the England midfielder 30 yards out. Surprisingly, Aquilani took the free kick, which sailed over. Gerrard, showing commendable patience, could have shaken his head in frustration. Instead, he shook Aquilani’s hand.
Villa enjoyed a purple patch. Agbonlahor outpaced Carragher and drew a save from Reina. Carew headed wide. Insua handled, Probert refused a penalty and O’Neill went into orbit. But Gerrard and Torres refused to give up.
Aston Villa (4-4-2): Friedel; L Young, Cuéllar, Dunne, Warnock; Milner, Reo-Coker (Albrighton 72), Petrov, Downing (Sidwell 79); Carew, Agbonlahor. Subs: Guzan (g), Delfouneso, Delph, Beye, Collins. Booked: Dunne.
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Reina; Johnson (Skrtel 89), Carragher, Agger, Insua; Aquilani (Babel 77), Lucas; Kuyt, Gerrard, Benayoun (Aurelio 90); Torres. Subs: Cavalieri (g), Kyrgiakos, Ngog, Spearing. Booked: Lucas.
Referee: L Probert (Wiltshire).
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