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Premier League | Gameweek 33
Jul 5, 2020 at 4.30pm UK
Anfield
AV

Liverpool
2 - 0
Aston Villa

Mane (71'), Jones (89')
Robertson (20')
FT(HT: 0-0)

McGinn (36')

Dean Smith looking to relegation rivals for inspiration ahead of Liverpool trip

:Headline: Dean Smith looking to relegation rivals for inspiration ahead of Liverpool trip: ID:405129: from db_amp
Villa are yet to win since returning from the break and go to Liverpool on Sunday.

Dean Smith insists Aston Villa can take inspiration from their drop rivals ahead of the daunting trip to champions Liverpool on Sunday.

Villa go to Anfield stuck in the relegation zone having failed to win since January and picking up just two points since returning from lockdown.

Runaway Premier League winners Liverpool have won every top-flight match at home this season and clinched their first title in 30 years last week.

Villa's relegation rivals Brighton and West Ham have stunned Arsenal and Chelsea late on in crucial wins after the restart and Smith believes it shows his side what is possible.

"You saw Brighton win in the last minute against Arsenal and West Ham win in the last minute against Chelsea," he said.

"It didn't escape me that West Ham's stats were pretty similar to ours against Chelsea but they managed to stick the ball in the net a couple of times.

"We can take great heart from that, knowing you can go and beat these big teams.

"I think it's a good time (to play Liverpool) when they've won the league, certainly. Probably having no fans in the stadium will help as well, I think people are starting to get used to that, but they're an exceptional team.

"To have won the league with as many points clear of a team as good Man City shows what an exceptional season they've had."

Smith criticised the schedule after Villa's 1-0 defeat to Wolves last weekend, their fourth game after the top-flight restarted last month.

But after a week without a game the boss hopes a break has refreshed his men.

He said: "It's allowed us to recover, that was the biggest thing. There was a lot made out that I was making excuses about the schedule.

"But the fact we went into that period having played one game less than every else and 11 days later we had played one game more than everyone else.

"If Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp had come out with the same thing, everybody would have sat up and took notice.

"It was not an excuse, it was a reason for the spectacle against Wolves. That was the frustration, that the spectacle wasn't great."

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal28204470244664
2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham2912894650-444
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
12Fulham29115134344-138
13Bournemouth2898114152-1135
14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014
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