For a brief moment on Saturday, Villa held their own stage. It was at half-time. Juan Pablo Angel, their new £9.5 million sterling Colombian, was led out to the centre circle.
"Get him on, get him on," chanted the Holte End. But a heavenly host would not have saved Villa.
The signing, subject to a medical, may have saved the chairman Doug Ellis from a fans' protest. It may not save the manager John Gregory from Ellis.
Villa's next three league games, after Wednesday's Cup replay with Newcastle, are at Old Trafford, then home to Leeds and Ipswich. By the end of the month, Gregory's position may look precarious.
Villa, with one win in 10 games, are going nowhere. Liverpool, who played them off the field, may at last be moving forward.
Villa's goal tally is as feeble as their morale, organisation and, alongside their opponents, seemingly ambition. Villa last week offered £12 million for Liverpool's fourth-choice striker Robbie Fowler.
Gerard Houllier insists he needs four strikers. Liverpool may have missed their best chance to cash in on a player at risk of seeing his future behind him.
There was no doubting their sense of purpose here until they grew bored with their superiority over the last half-hour.
Jari Litmanen, inactive for a while at Barcelona, was sharp in all he did, slightly withdrawn on the left, sliding the ball through Villa's straining defence and husbanding his fitness. It was an example to Fowler or anyone. Houllier was delighted.
"He gives us different qualities, different options," he said. "He can play behind the two in front. He is an experienced on-and-off striker."
The Finn had a key part in the goal of the match, feeding Danny Murphy, whose first-time flick found Steven Gerrard in full stride for an emphatic shot from 20 yards.
Gerrard had made 50 yards from providing Litmanen in the first place. He will be satisfied that Sven-Goran Eriksson, already aware of him, has a television.
Murphy owed his goals before and after to Alpay's error and a deflection that rewarded Emile Heskey's persistence.
The first goal led to an altercation between Alpay and David James that summed up team spirit and ended with the Turk slapping the keeper.
It left Gregory "slightly embarrassed" and promising "action". The next few games may find him slightly more embarrassed. But at least on Saturday he had an Angel in waiting.
ASTON VILLA: James, Wright, Southgate, Alpay (Vassell 47), Samuel (Hitzlsperger 84), Staunton, Ginola (McGrath 45), Stone, Barry, Dublin, Merson. Subs Not Used: Standing, Enckelman. Booked: Alpay, Southgate.
LIVERPOOL: Westerveld, Henchoz, Babbel, Carragher, Hyypia, Gerrard (McAllister 88), Murphy, Hamann, Litmanen (Biscan 71), Smicer, Heskey (Owen 81). Subs Not Used: Barmby, Nielsen. Goals: Murphy 24, Gerrard 32, Murphy 53.
Referee: G Barber (Tring).
