Premier League champions Liverpool fell to a shocking 7-2 defeat against Aston Villa on Sunday, their first defeat of the campaign.
Ollie Watkins scored a first-half hat trick as Villa stormed to a 4-1 lead at the interval with John McGinn having scored the other after Mohamed Salah had temporarily reduced the deficit to 2-1.
If there was an element of good fortunate about Watkins’ first goal in a Villa shirt, his second was all his own fine work as he cut inside before firing into the top corner to stun the champions and make it 2-0 in the 22nd minute.
Mohamed Salah’s fine left-foot finish seemed to get Liverpool back in the game in the 33rd minute, but John McGinn’s deflected strike two minutes later restored Villa’s two-goal advantage.
Watkins completed his hat-trick inside 39 minutes, with former Everton midfielder Ross Barkley — making his debut after joining Villa on loan — making it five, 10 minutes into the second half.
Salah did give Liverpool hope on the hour mark, before a late double from Grealish completed a remarkable victory for the team who just avoided relegation last season.
