Consistency Bears Fruit as Liverpool Notch Professional Win at Aston Villa

Liverpool earned a third successive Premier League away win, overcoming Aston Villa 2-0 at Villa Park courtesy of goals from Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert.

It was a professional performance from Brendan Rodgers' side, who are achieving consistent results following a more consistent starting XI being used in recent weeks.

Rodgers made just one change to the lineup that beat Sunderland away last week, with Raheem Sterling replacing the injured Steven Gerrard.

Clive Mason/Getty Images

A settled side and formation, again using 3-4-2-1, has seen improvements right across the team, and it was Simon Mignolet who particularly displayed improvements against Paul Lambert's side. The Belgian stopper made one superb save in the second half from Christian Benteke and commanded his box much better on occasion, too—collecting crosses and corners, albeit with the odd nervy moment.

To many, it will come as no surprise that Liverpool have looked more solid since installing Emre Can and Mamadou Sakho—who was excellent again for the Reds—alongside Martin Skrtel. Those two, plus the addition of Lucas Leiva as an ever-present in the midfield, have given Liverpool a far more resolute outlook.

After going so long looking extremely fragile in defence, the team have achieved three successive away wins in the Premier League without conceding a goal—their last away goal conceded was at Old Trafford back in mid-December.

That was the last match Lucas missed, and it's easy to see why Rodgers has now decided against selling the Brazilian this month (as per This Is Anfield).

Tactically

Jon Super/Associated Press

Tactically, the 3-4-2-1 shape could have been susceptible to being countered by Villa's 4-3-3 shape—with space out wide for the full-backs to exploit and Gabriel Agbonlahor able to pull Liverpool's centre-backs out wide, as noted by B/R's Sam Tighe pre-match.

"

The #LFC 3-4-2-1 matches up badly vs. Agbonlahor and he will strain outside CBs. Rodgers can't switch now it's working, though. Tough one.

— Sam Tighe (@stighefootball) January 17, 2015"

Rodgers was right not to change from a formation that has worked well in recent weeks, playing a pivotal role in their improved results of late.

Indeed, Liverpool coped expertly, much better than they did back in September in the corresponding fixture, when Villa somehow came away with all three points from Anfield.

Sakho, Skrtel and Can were all excellent at times. While Markovic wasn't able to influence the game in an attacking sense as he was last week, he—like the rest of the team—put in a professional showing.

Rodgers' subs also helped. It's an area where the boss has struggled in recent weeks, but the introduction of Rickie Lambert and Jose Enrique, at a time of the game when Villa were piling on the pressure, proved crucial. Lambert, of course, hit the much-needed second.

2-0

Clive Mason/Getty Images

Victories by a 2-0 scoreline, particularly away from home, are professional results, and that is what Liverpool achieved. They perhaps should have been more than one up in the first half—much like last week at Sunderland—but could equally have conceded in the second 45. Ultimately, they achieved the win they needed.

A clean sheet, a first league goal of the campaign for Borini and only a second of the campaign for Lambert will all be huge confidence boosters ahead of a big run of games for Rodgers' men.

The Reds have three cup games up next: both legs of the League Cup semi-final against Chelsea, plus the FA Cup fourth-round match against Bolton. February then sees games against Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton in the Premier League sandwiched around Europa League ties against Besiktas.

This victory made it eight games unbeaten in all competitions for the Reds and just one defeat in 14. Such momentum reminds you of their incredible run of results last spring. The test will now come against tougher opposition.