We're barely a week into the new season and already Paul Lambert's persuasive powers in getting Christian Benteke to stay at Aston Villa have reaped major dividends, with the player scoring three goals in two tough away games at Arsenal and Chelsea.
How important is the Belgian international? Well, he's found the net 17 times in the league in 2013, three more times than any other Premier League player. Even more impressively, in Europe's top five league's, only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have scored more than Benteke since the turn of the year.
That's why Villa's most important signing of the summer was a player already at the club, even though they look an all-round improved unit.
Liverpool could have done with someone like Benteke on the end of some of their play against Stoke last weekend, by all accounts. I didn't see the game live as I was at Carrow Road, but even before watching the highlights it sounded like 'deja vu all over again', as Yogi Berra famously once said.
Liverpool attempted more shots on goal than any other Premier League team last weekend (20) - as they did last season - but for a late penalty save by new keeper Simon Mignolet would have been held to a draw at Anfield.
Still, three points is a good start and it's what they've often left Villa Park with in recent seasons. This is a fixture Liverpool fans have come to look forward to over the past 15 years in particular, with nine wins and only one defeat in that time. Last season's match came in March and resulted in a 2-1 win for Liverpool, who haven't lost a league game since.
It hasn't just been Liverpool who've caused problems at Villa Park. Villa have won only half a dozen of their last 32 home league matches and that will have to change if they're to build on the promise shown in their opening two fixtures this season.
Villa have had an extremely good start to the 2013-14 campaign and were very unlucky to lose against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, just four days after their terrific 3-1 win against Arsenal at the Emirates last Saturday.
As for Liverpool, they outplayed Stoke City for pretty much the entire game at Anfield in the opening game of the Premier League season early last weekend, but almost threw three points away late on.
Daniel Sturridge‘s first half strike proved enough for Brendan Rodgers‘ men but a whole host of missed chances almost proved costly as newly acquired Belgian ‘keeper Simon Mignolet had to save a last-minute penalty to preserve the win.
This game should be a real battle but good to watch. Paul Lambert‘s young Villa side like to stroke the ball around and they will be eager to impress their home fans. Villa have had an incredibly tough start to the season, but two wins from three games against Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool would be a fantastic return.
