Martin O'Neill's second season got off to a frustrating start - thanks in part to a costly refereeing blunder from Mike Riley.

Gareth Barry looked to have secured a hard-fought point with his penalty six minutes from time. But then Riley spotted a foul that never was on the edge of the Villa box, up stepped Steven Gerrard and the rest is history.

Frustration and disappointment were the two key words from the Villa camp after the match, but O'Neill is building a squad with more grit and determination than we have seen in recent years, so this defeat will not deal a fatal blow to summer optimism.

The truth of the matter is that Villa fought bravely but were left empty handed after a frustrating 90 minutes. The attacking verve seen against Inter Milan a week earlier was largely absent, but have faith.

The game started at a frantic pace, with both sides making early mistakes. Craig Gardner tested Jose Reina with a vicious angled right-foot volley from fully 30 yards out on six and, as Villa started to settle, John Carew's goalbound shot was deflected behind by Carragher on 11.

Liverpool's big-money signing Fernando Torres sent a rising effort over the bar from the edge of the box on 17. Stuart Taylor did well to deny Gerrard two minutes later, parrying the England man's low shot and collecting the ball at the second attempt.

The Villa keeper, in for the injured Thomas Sorensen, brilliantly denied Torres moments later, but as Dirk Kuyt cut the rebound back from the right Martin Laursen directed the ball past his helpless keeper.

Taylor blocked John Arne Riise's cross cum shot from the left on 35 as Villa struggled to regain composure. Gerrard fired high into the Holte End on 37.

Barry fashioned an opening for himself on the edge of the Liverpool box on 39, but his right-foot effort flew past the post. Nigel Reo-Coker then prodded the ball wide after Carew flicked on a right-wing cross from Gardner.

Petrov might have levelled on 42, but fired straight at Reina as he was released by Barry's intelligent through ball. As Villa ended the first-half strongly, Gabby Agbonlahor and Carew saw shots blocked by Jamie Carragher on 44. Ashley Young then fired over as he cut in from the right.

Riise fired into the side-netting with a low drive less than a minute after the break. Then Reina could only parry a Young cross from the left on 48, but Daniel Agger hammered the ball to safety.

Reo-Coker, playing in a more advanced role for the second-half, sliced a right-foot shot wide on 52. At the other end Kuyt sent a low angled drive from the edge of the box narrowly wide a minute later.

Gardner bravely blocked a close-range drive from Gerrard on 63 to keep Villa hopes alive. The youngster required treatment, but was able to carry on. Taylor then acrobatically denied Gerrard, tipping a rising drive past the post on 69.

The Villa keeper did well to block a vicious right-foot effort from Babel on 82, producing his fourth top class save of the game.

With time running out for Villa, Carew headed over as he met Barry's left-wing cross on 83. O'Neill's men were thrown a lifeline on 84 as Carragher handled in the box. Barry made no mistake from the spot.

Just as Villa looked to have secured a share of the spoils, Gerrard restored Liverpool's lead on 87, curling a debatable free-kick past the helpless Taylor. It was heartbreaking for Villa - all the more so because TV replays suggested Stiliyan Petrov had not fouled Gerrard on the edge of the box.

Carew almost levelled for Villa in stoppage time, but his glancing header from a Young cross was palmed over the bar by Reina. The big Norwegian then headed wide from Young's left-wing cross. But there was to be no second comeback and Villa were left empty handed.