After Harry Kewell had broken the deadlock with a 16th-minute header, Rafael Benítez’s side looked to be coasting to an easy win until Gavin McCann went down under Jamie Carragher’s challenge a minute before half time. Solano stepped up and his sublime free-kick gave Chris Kirkland no chance as it nestled into the top corner. In truth, Liverpool should have been three or four ahead by that stage and only a mixture of excellent goalkeeping by Thomas Sørenson and profilage striking from the steatopygic Neil Mellor, maintained the one-goal difference.
Benítez gave a first Premiership start to former Real Madrid player Antonio Nuñez and the Spaniard – playing on the right of a five-man midfield - launched Mellor as early as the second minute but the sole striker’s shot was deflected. On the opposite flank, John Arne Riise tested Sørenson with a rasping near-post drive and although Steven Davis finally lead Villa into the Liverpool half soon after, it came as little surprise when the visitors broke the deadlock soon after.
Its manner was less predictable with the diminutive Kewell heading in from Carraghers’ centre after Dietmar Hamann had won a free-kick after he collapsed under the weight of Olof Mellberg’s presence outside the are. Mellor could have made it two after Gareth Barry was hustled in midfield but the striker was denied by Sørenson. Steven Gerrard volleyed a difficult chance just over the bar, and another straight at the goalkeeper, as David O’Leary’s side struggled to gain a foothold in the game.
But Villa are a peculiar beast. If Chelsea’s careful approach work is the footballing equivalent of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Arsenal’s occasional brilliance makes them troubled geniuses and Newcastle’s tendency to balk at uncomfortable situations makes them prime Aspersers candidates, Villa would have Multi-personality Disorder. After 44 minutes of consummate Mr Hyde we were treated to a moment of genius when Solano hit a 30-yard free-kick under the crossbar.
It was the Peruvian’s fourth goal in successive home games and invigorated the team going in for the interval. With Luke Moore now operating alongside Juan Pablo Angel, Villa were much more competitive in the second half, though without really testing Chris Kirkland. Sørenson was hardly smarting at his grass burns either as Liverpool lost their shape and edge with the withdrawal of Nuñez and eventually Mellor.
When Mathieu Berson made his first Premiership bow as a 69th-minute substitute, he did so without the Holte End fearing the worst, and it could have got even better for the home side had Solano repeated his poise a minute before half time, a minute from full time but he shot wide and Villa had to settle for the draw and sixth place – nine ahead of next Sunday’s visitors, Birmingham.