Aston Villa stun Liverpool 7-2 with Watkins hat-trick

McGinn, Barkley, Grealish, Luiz and Nakamba also on target as champions are humbled

Villa move up to second in the Premier League after historic win

A perfect hat-trick from Ollie Watkins fired Aston Villa to second place after a sensational 7-2 win over champions Liverpool.

Watkins struck in the fourth, 22nd and 39th minutes to put Villa in command at Villa Park, with John McGinn also on target in the first half.

Mohamed Salah pulled one back for Liverpool, but Ross Barkley restored Villa's three-goal advantage before the break.

Jack Grealish and Douglas Luiz added further goals in the second half, with Salah grabbing a second for Liverpool.

It was a remarkable result for Villa, who had lost their previous two Premier League games.

Liverpool, meanwhile, have now lost three of their first four league matches of the season.

Conclusion

Aston Villa's victory over Liverpool was a historic moment for the club. It was their first win over the champions in 23 years, and it moved them up to second place in the Premier League.

The win was a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Villa players, who were inspired by the performance of Watkins.

Liverpool, on the other hand, will be disappointed with their performance. They were second best for most of the match and were unable to cope with Villa's attacking threat.

The result will give Villa belief that they can challenge for a top-four finish this season. Liverpool, meanwhile, will need to improve their form if they want to retain their Premier League title.