Aston Villa

Free highlights and match report as Jefferson Lerma fired home Bournemouths opener in the second minute; Kieffer Moore scored his first-ever Premier League ...

We need to show our physicality, we need to be horrible to play against. They key thing was performance and us understanding what we need to bring to every game in the Premier League. We're going to do our best to change that narrative." "We're trying to change the narrative. Then a real intelligence, we were clever and managed the game well. "We shot ourselves in the foot by conceding a sloppy second goal. I don't feel we need another game to get up to speed, it was a lack of quality today. The obvious thing to take away is that we need better quality in the final third. Across the 90 minutes we never had enough quality in the final third. We tried to put more invention onto the pitch. I thought Bournemouth defended extremely well but we allowed them to be in a low block early on. We never crossed the ball well enough, we never showed enough invention.

Goals come from midfielder Jefferson Lerma and striker Kieffer Moore. Read more at straitstimes.com.

It was crucial we got a result,” Parker told the BBC. “My message to the players was to embrace the challenge. “We understood the challenge we faced today.

A devastating early blow from Jefferson Lerma and a late settler from Kieffer Moore mean there's work to be done for Steven Gerrard's side.

The occasional rash challenge and foul will be no worry for Steven Gerrard, with the boss expecting and demanding a willingness to fight from his new recruit. Buendía constantly wanted to be in possession and tried generating chances for his teammates, but the Bournemouth backline remained resolute and constantly denied the Argentine’s production. Steven Gerrard would have wanted his ‘Young Player of the Season’ winner to take this game by the scruff of the neck and get at Bournemouth, but the 21 year-old just couldn’t get anything going. The number seven showed his usual energetic self, but the nerves of the occasion may have go to the midfielder who made a number of mistakes throughout. Cash showed his frustration throughout after his teammates were sluggish on the ball and slow to get the ball moving quickly in transition. The Polish full-back always wanted to get things moving for his side; his direct play will please Steven Gerrard and his staff.

Scott Parker won the battle of the former England midfielders as his newly promoted Bournemouth marked its return to the English Premier League with a 2-0 ...

Parker, meanwhile, had been frustrated by a lack of summer transfer activity following promotion from the Championship but new signing Marcus Tavernier contributed to their second-minute opener. Gerrard brought on Emiliano Buendia in the second half and the Argentine midfielder showed flashes of inspiration before hopes of salvaging a draw were extinguished 10 minutes from time when Moore expertly headed beyond goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez following a cross from Lloyd Kelly. BOURNEMOUTH, England — Scott Parker won the battle of the former England midfielders as his newly promoted Bournemouth marked its return to the English Premier League with a 2-0 win over Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa on Saturday.

LEWIS STEELE AT THE VITALITY STADIUM: It's been a fairytale summer for Kieffer Moore, who completed a remarkable personal journey on Saturday.

This is a young side, with little Premier League experience, so the constant message is for the players to take this chance and not let it sink us.’ It didn’t work, with the Brazilian ineffective. ‘We need to make the squad deeper if we are to fight,’ he said. Asked if he leaves with more questions than answers, Gerrard replied, ‘100 per cent, yes, it’s a good question. Score your first Premier League goal: tick. Get engaged to your long-term partner: tick.

Liverpool were due to play Aston Villa in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Anfield today.

Gerrard's Villa team host Liverpool's Merseyside rivals Everton on Saturday, August 13. The campaign has started earlier than usual due to the winter World Cup in Qatar later this year. Reds boss Jurgen Klopp wasn't pleased either after his side were held to a 2-2 draw at another club who have just come up in Fulham.

But with injuries mounting for Liverpool, the friendly became questionable at best and it has now been confirmed that it is no longer taking place. Gerrard ...

The Reds need to regroup and as the manager noted in pre-season, need to “try to create a basis for the rest of the season” in the next couple of weeks with two back-to-back Monday night games. Liverpool’s behind-closed-door friendly against Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa has been cancelled. The game had been planned to follow only a day after the Reds’ trip to Fulham.

Ezri Konsa cut a disappointed figure after Aston Villa opened their 2022/23 campaign with a 2-0 reverse at AFC Bournemouth. Villa tasted defeat in their ...