Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez condemned his players for making “too many mistakes” as they slumped to their second league defeat in nine days.

Beaten at Tottenham on the opening weekend, they recovered to over-power Stoke in midweek, only to slump to a disheartening 3-1 home defeat at the hands of a vibrant Aston Villa at Anfield.

It was Villa’s first win of the season, and ended Liverpool’s 31-match unbeaten league run dating back to December 2007.

And the reverse already puts in doubt Liverpool’s title aspirations. They only lost two league games last season, now they have equalled that tally in the opening days of the new campaign.

Villa were two-up at the break through a Lucas own goal and a header from Curtis Davies. Torres pulled one back in the second-half, but Steven Gerrard’s lunge at Nigel Reo-Coker conceded a spot-kick that Ashley Young confidently drove home.

Benitez said: “In the first 20 minutes we created plenty of chances and played well. Then we conceded the own goal and started to make more mistakes.

“We have lost and we know we have to improve. I felt we had a chance when Fernando Torres scored, but the penalty finished it. It was a clear penalty.

“We now know that we have to go to Bolton on Saturday and win. Everything could change if we do that, our confidence will improve.”

Benitez added: “We were not playing well, and we were up against a team who are excellent on the counter-attack.

“Their keeper (Brad Friedel) made some great saves, but when that happens we just have to make more chances.

“This squad is virtually the same as last season, so I believe it is good enough to mount a title challenge. But we must do more, we must win at Bolton.

“We will have to sit down and analyse every player now, and make sure we do the right things in our next match. But our senior players must take more responsibility.”

Villa boss Martin O’Neill said: “That was a terrific effort from my team. At 2-0 we were in reasonable command of the game, although you are never in command at Anfield.

“But when they scored we got a penalty straightaway, a clean penalty, and we were back with our two goal lead.

“That gave us confidence, discipline and shape to our team and we deserved to win.

“Brad Friedel was outstanding. He rolled back the years. He was fantastic against his old club to perform like that at Anfield.

“He will be delighted with himself, and rightly so, and we are delighted with him.”

“It was a fantastic performance from the whole side and we fully deserved the victory.”

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has ruled out selling midfielder Javier Mascherano to Barcelona.

Mascherano’s agent was quoted as saying the Argentina international would welcome a move to the Nou Camp.

“It would make Javier very proud that a club like Barcelona pay him attention after such an incredible year. I believe a transfer would be feasible,” Walter Tamer said.

But Benitez has dismissed the idea, insisting Mascherano is happy at Anfield.

“Mascherano has no price,” the Spaniard told the club’s website.

“Barcelona could not afford to match his value to Liverpool Football Club.

“We do not want to sell and Javier is very happy here.

“I have spoken to Javier two or three times this summer - the last time was only last week - and he was very happy, very positive.

“He gave me the private number of his agent, Walter Tamer, and again the conversation was very positive and was all about football.

“Walter told me that two clubs with big, big names were asking after Mascherano - and I told him to forget it, that Javier was happy in Liverpool and he was not for sale.

“So I was surprised to see the agent’s comments today.

“He has a long contract and any club can forget about bidding for him. They can offer £40m or even £50m, we don’t want to sell.”

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has dismissed suggestions he is trying to sign Napoli striker Ezequiel Lavezzi.

There were claims in Italy yesterday that Napoli had been approached by an agent acting as an intermediary for Liverpool over a possible £15million deal for the 24 year-old Argentina international.

And the player’s advisor Eduardo Rossetto insisted that “Liverpool’s proposal is true.”

However, Benitez said today: “We never contacted Lavezzi and we have no intention of doing so.

“We want to put a stop to these rumours.”

Liverpool have also reaffirmed their position on Javier Mascherano, who has been linked with Barcelona, insisting the player is not for sale.

Rafael Benitez has urged his Liverpool players not to lose their belief ahead of their weekend clash with West Ham.

Victory for the Reds at Upton Park will put them back on top of the table on goal difference, at least for 24 hours until leaders Manchester United face Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday.

But however hard Liverpool have chased the champions in these closing weeks of the campaign, the slip-ups that they crave have just not materialised.

Arguably their last chance comes when United play their next three league matches in a week, with games against Wigan and Arsenal following the Manchester derby.

Benitez, who will be without ankle-injury victim Xabi Alonso in east London tomorrow, said: “Every single week it has been an opportunity for us, to get three points and to put pressure on Manchester United.

“We must keep winning, keep pushing and see what happens. It could be difficult for them against Manchester City, but United are a very good team with equally good players.

“But you never know what could happen. It is up to us to win our games and be waiting.”

He added: “Maybe, hopefully, City can do us a favour. But there is nothing we can do about that match, only ours.

“And I am not even sure whether I will be watching the game, there’s nothing I can contribute so it may be better to just enjoy the day with my family.

“But we have to believe. We have done well, we have been able to win a lot of games right at the end which shows our fitness. We have gained a lot of experience and the spirit has been fantastic among the players.

“We will push right until the end. Even that will be of use to us in the future, but we still must believe we can do something this season, not wait for next.”

Benitez will have Fernando Torres (hamstring) and Javier Mascherano (ankle) fit to play, and maintains his own defiant belief that something could still disrupt Manchester United’s relentless march toward retaining their crown.

He said: “We have always talked about a twist in the end, maybe United will have problems against Manchester City or Arsenal in their run-in.

“We have always known that this season was crucial to our development, but also that we must continue to have a positive approach to everything.

“It has been good experience. But whatever people are saying about this season and our chances, we must maintain our concentration right to the end and stay focused in every game.

“We have confidence we will be the closest challengers to United over the next few years.

“But we have always felt we could win it this season, we have confidence in our squad and they have worked so hard. I hope I am answering in a different way in a fortnight, but we have gained a lot of experience whatever happens.”

Benitez paid tribute to the job Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola has done in his first management job.

He says: “West Ham will be difficult. Zola is doing a good job, they are confident and playing well.

“Zola was a fantastic player and now he is showing he can be a fine manager, he is doing a good job there.

“It was a little difficult for him at the start, it always is when a new manager takes over. But he is clever, he knows the league and what to do, he will make a good manager.

“But we know we have to win. A point is not good enough so the message is very clear to my players, win and increase the pressure ahead of United’s game on Sunday.”

Sir Alex Ferguson has accused Rafael Benitez of “arrogance” and showing “contempt” in his dealings with fellow managers.

The Liverpool chief has been in combative mood recently, on several occasions launching verbal volleys at Ferguson.

And ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final with Everton, Ferguson has hit back with a withering assessment of Benitez’s conduct.

First he lambasted the Spaniard for his description of Everton as a “small club” before rounding on him for the attitude he showed in dismissing Blackburn last weekend once Liverpool had scored their second goal at Anfield.

“Everton are a big club, not a small one which Benitez arrogantly said,” said Ferguson.

“But arrogance is one thing. You cannot forgive contempt, which is what he showed (Blackburn manager) Sam Allardyce last weekend.

“When Liverpool scored their second goal he signalled as if the game was finished. I do not think Sam deserved that.

“Sam has worked so hard for the LMA (League Managers’ Association) and he’s had a weakened team. I just thought it showed contempt.

“In my experience no Liverpool manager has ever done that. It was beyond the pale.”

The tirade should enliven the Premier League title battle when it resumes next week, although Ferguson will feel justified in making the attack.

Benitez had delivered what he claimed to be “facts”, about United which the Red Devils do not believe to be true.

And while Ferguson has tried to resist the temptation to respond, this time he felt he needed to make a stand against the Liverpool manager, who feels more sure of his ground after finally steering his club into championship contention despite this week’s Champions League exit at the hands of Chelsea.

Jan Molby expects Rafael Benitez to remain in charge at Anfield despite speculation surrounding the manager’s future.

Several bookmakers on Wednesday stopped taking bets on markets involving a possible exit for the former Valencia boss, who joined Liverpool in 2004.

Molby was aware rumours had been spreading regarding how long Benitez will remain in charge and told Sky Sports News: “I’d be surprised if Rafa were to walk out on Liverpool. We do know for a while he’s been unhappy about certain things, but I still think it would take a big man to walk out on Liverpool at such a crucial stage of the season.”

The former Denmark international added: “Whereas some people are quite happy to back Rafael Benitez to be gone by the end of the week, I would rather take the odds on him being Liverpool manager next Monday.

“I heard the rumours myself on Tuesday night, and they have been gathering pace, everyone’s talking about it.”

However Molby will not take the talk of Benitez’s possible departure too seriously for now.

He said: “I think the people who say it can’t happen might just prove to be spot-on.”

The best and the worst from all the weekend’s action in the Barclays Premier League.

Heroes

Rafael Benitez
One of the few managers not to suffer the curse of losing a game straight after winning the ‘Manager of the Month’ award, Rafael Benitez has enjoyed yet another victory in the league with Liverpool. It was a significant one even though it did not involve any of the Big Four nor was it against their bitter Merseyside neighbours, Everton. It was against Bolton - a team which some feel have been Liverpool’s bogey team. Benitez’s first league game at the Reebok during the 2004/05 season began with a 1-0 loss. Some had believed Liverpool’s new Spanish players: Josemi, Luis Garcia and Xabi Alonso were ‘too soft’ for the Barclays Premier League. Since then Liverpool had only won twice in five games at Bolton, till last weekend.

Cristiano Ronaldo
With already nine goals to his name, the Manchester United winger reached yet another milestone in English football. Ronaldo scored his 100th and 101th goals for United last weekend to further entrench himself into the record books. Reviled by some of his fans at the start of the season for wanting to play for Real Madrid, the winger has remarkably kept his composure and continued his goal-scoring ways. With Chelsea and Liverpool blazing a trail at the top of the table, it is essential United keep in touch. Ronaldo’s form will be crucial going into the busy Christmas period as Alex Ferguson’s side negotiate five competitions. By then, Ronaldo would have won himself a well-deserved FIFA World Player of the Year accolade.

Chelsea
The unstoppable blue force of Chelsea continued their remarkable away form, setting a new record of ten away wins in a row. Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side may have lost their proud unbeaten home record but surely a 100% away record would not seem trivial as comparison. And as remarkable as it seems, the Blues secured their tenth away victory with a line-up bereft of a host of star players. Ashley Cole, Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba who were all on the bench. Petr Cech was also out with a muscular injury. With such strength in depth, Chelsea are looking in great shape to wrest the league title back from Manchester United.

Fortress Craven Cottage
Fulham are in red-hot form when they are playing at home. The Cottagers have won four out of their six home league fixtures - the latest one was against high-flying Tottenham - making them one of most successful home teams in the league. Now if only Roy Hodgson’s men can do it away from home. Fulham have only one point on their travels so far - and they face Liverpool next.

Roy Keane
Whatever the Sunderland gaffer said to his underperforming players worked to perfection as three points at Ewood Park propelled them out of the relegation spots.

Zeroes

Heurelho Gomes
The Brazilian goalkeeper’s weekly blunders are threatening to derail Tottenham’s escape plans. You could say that the Spurs stopper is single-handedly costing Spurs valuable points in their battle to climb the table. Harry Redknapp is so desperate that he is considering calling up Ben Alnwick and then getting Carlo Cudicini or Ben Foster on-loan during the January transfer window. It is hard to believe this is the same player that played for PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.

Arsenal
Perhaps the other thing that kept Spurs fans happy has been Arsenal’s roller-coaster form this season. The Gunners have suffered yet another league defeat following an emphatic midweek League Cup win. Arsene Wenger should seriously consider playing his ‘B’ team in the league. Arsenal may still hold fourth position but with Aston Villa hungry to break into the top four, the Gunners have to improve sharply or risk missing out on Champions League action next season. If that happens, it will spark another player exodus from the Emirates Stadium. They have now lost four of their opening 13 league matches this season - their equal most PL defeats after 13 league matches in Premier League history. It is 14 years since they lost as many as four matches at this stage of the season, back in 1994-95.

West Ham
The pressure is mounting on Gianfranco Zola after West Ham’s failure to win their last seven games. The young Italian manager has been looking a little lost on the touch-line and is finding it tough to eke out results with his team low on confidence. Zola admitted his team has been playing good football but the results haven’t gone his way. The popular Italian insists victory is just round the corner but the club’s owners might think otherwise if the Hammers’ current form continues into Christmas.

Scott Carson
After the 3-0 defeat to Chelsea, the West Bromwich goalkeeper now has an unwanted record of conceding the most goals in the Premier League since August 2006 with 124. Some Liverpool fans doubted Rafael Benitez’s decision to sell Carson but now the Liverpool gaffer seems vindicated. With the Baggies looking more and more like relegation candidates, Carson’s goal-against tally will surely rise as the season progresses.