Liverpool FC 1, Aston Villa 3: No laughing matter as Anfield cracks appear

That wasn't enough to win the title. And already six points adrift of pace-setters Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, the portents offer little encouragement this time around.

Of course, championships aren't won in August; but they can certainly be lost.

While Aston Villa will claim a famous victory, these three points came gift-wrapped courtesy of a poor Liverpool performance.

This defeat ended a 31-game unbeaten home run, but it's the manner in which his team surrendered that proud record that will be of greater concern to Benitez.

All the suspected shortcomings of this Liverpool side were painfully apparent. The reliance on Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard. The minimal options from the bench due to a lack of funds to strengthen the squad. The lack of genuine creativity from central midfield.

Alberto Aquilani will no doubt make a difference once he recovers from injury, but at this rate the Italian's contribution may be an irrelevance in terms of the title race.

Lucas is currently helping fulfil that particular role and has been Liverpool's most consistent performer in recent weeks.

Yet it was his unfortunate own goal that set Villa on their way on 34 minutes, with the lead doubled on the stroke of half-time through a contentious Curtis Davies header.

Few Liverpool players polarise supporter opinion as much as Lucas, and the Brazilian's character and confidence will be tested by his aberration and subsequent substitution.

Although Torres pulled a goal back, Ashley Young's 75th-minute penalty ensured Villa's first victory over Liverpool since winning here by the same scoreline in September 2001.

Benitez's side earned a reputation as the Premier League's most resilient team last season by picking up 22 points after going behind in games.

And Liverpool will have to dig deep once again if they are to drag their title challenge back on to the rails.

Torres may have scored but he cut a frustrated figure for much of the evening, unhappy at a lack of protection by referee Martin Atkinson and, despite warnings from Benitez last week to curb his temper, booked for dissent late on.

And with Gerrard suffering a rare off-night - summed up by the manner in which he conceded Villa's penalty - Liverpool had to look elsewhere for creativity and forward threat. It was not forthcoming, the chances created during the final quarter too little, too late.

Liverpool had thrashed Villa 5-0 during the title run-in last season and, with Martin O'Neill's side having won only two of their final 13 league games last season and started the new campaign with successive defeats, everything pointed to a comfortable home win.

That, though, did not legislate for a truly shocking first-half performance from Benitez's men for which their efforts after the break could not atone.

Injuries couldn't be used as an excuse. With Martin Skrtel recovered from the clash of heads with Jamie Carragher sustained at White Hart Lane the previous week, Liverpool were at full strength.

Having raced out of the blocks against Stoke City last week, Liverpool sought a similarly strong start. A ball chipped forward by Torres caught Friedel in two minds, allowing Yossi Benayoun to sprint in and head narrowly wide ahead of the American.

The Israeli was involved again as Villa had a remarkable escape in the ninth minute, when Liverpool spurned at least three chances to score in the same attack.

Some poor defending by the visitors gave Torres the chance for a shot that was blocked by Davies.

The ball span forward and, after Benayoun failed to connect inside the six-yard box, Gerrard struck the prone Friedel on the legs.

Liverpool will wonder what might have been had one of those openings been converted.

Instead, Benitez's men soon lost their momentum, hampered by some chronically poor distribution.

It was perhaps inevitable, then, that Villa's opening goal 11 minutes from the interval should be an entirely self-inflicted wound.

Lucas needlessly felled Stiliyan Petrov 30 yards out, and then compounded his error by inadvertently heading the ball into his own net after James Milner's free-kick deflected through the Liverpool wall. In first-half injury time, the home gloom deepened further. Steve Sidwell hit a shot that referee Atkinson adjudged to have struck Skrtel and awarded a corner.

Pepe Reina was so furious at the decision he was booked for dissent, and was then left even more angry when slack marking by Torres and Carragher at the near post allowed Davies to glance home Sidwell's inswinging delivery from the right.

Liverpool at least offered more threat after the break. Friedel parried clear Gerrard's angled drive and then was forced to tip over a dipping Kuyt header.

The Dutchman came even closer in the 57th minute when his header hit the post after Carragher hooked the ball across goal, before the same player ruffled the side-netting while attempting to reach Johnson's deep cross.

Torres had a penalty claim waved away by Atkinson after tussling with Davies in the area before Friedel beat out another Gerrard drive.

Benitez threw on Andriy Voronin, and the Ukrainian made an instant impact by helping Liverpool back into the game on 72 minutes, feeding Emiliano Insua to cross for Torres to slot home.

But the game was up three minutes later when Gerrard needlessly upended Nigel Reo-Coker inside the area and Young converted from the spot.

Kuyt was denied a penalty despite being bundled over by Habib Beye and then slid the ball across goal from substitute Ryan Babel's left-wing cross.

Friedel also saved from Torres and Glen Johnson, but this was not Liverpool's night. And, on the evidence so far, it's unlikely to be their season either.