Stealing a win from Villains a great start

USELESS officials, whining opponents, infuriating players, traffic delays, overcrowded pubs, bitten nails, awful songs.

Football is back. How we’ve missed you. It’s five years since Liverpool won their opening game, also at Villa, but of course breaking that spell still required a few needless complications.

Several news outlets couldn’t decide who the referee was. Some said Riley, others said Bennett.