Liverpool v Aston Villa: Premier League – live

8.00pm GMT “I’m on the train with a bunch of Pompey lads who wont get home ‘til about midnight after a 4-0 shellacking at St Andrew’s,” writes Gary Naylor. “That they’re in good spirits and planning another away day to Hull, speaks to the irrational nature of the football fan, the game a largely safe space for an otherwise dangerous indulgence. “That irrationality wants Liverpool to be in crisis, loves the prospect of the inquests in the morning, the phone-ins that will demand his Slot’s head on a stick and Salah and Van Dijk to be sold in January. It’s childish and all but indefensible - but millions of us feel like this!” Dear Liverpool fans, Gary’s email address is available for a small fee. 7.59pm GMT All set? This could be a cracker. I’m predicting Liverpool 4-3 Aston Villa. 7.58pm GMT A reminder of the teams Liverpool (4-2-3-1) Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Ekitike.Subs: Woodman, Pecsi, Gomez, Endo, Kerkez, Wirtz, Chiesa, Nyoni, Ngumoha. Aston Villa (4-2-3-1) Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Pau, Digne; Onana, Kamara; Guessand, Rogers, McGinn; Watkins.Subs: Bizot, Maatsen, Lindelof, Mings, Bogarde, Barkley, Sancho, Malen, Broggio. Referee Stuart Attwell. 7.40pm GMT “Yeah, Liverpool were top of the league a few weeks ago, but in all honesty, they weren’t playing a huge amount better then than they are now,” writes Matt Dony. “That mad run of late winners wasn’t sustainable. Sometimes a team has good luck, sometimes they have bad luck, and you just have to hope it all evens out. “This group of players is too good to be this mediocre for a long period, things will certainly click into place at some point. But I fear it may not be enough. I worry that (already) the title may be gone. The psychological impact of this spell will likely linger, for both Liverpool AND Arsenal. “Still, a few pride-restoring wins in the short term would be a big help. And, hey, if not tonight, there’s always Real Madrid and Man City to come in the next few days. What could possibly go wrong…” 7.33pm GMT The Premier League table going into tonight’s game Liverpool (10th) and Villa (11th) will jump to third if they win. It’s like snakes and bloody ladders. Pos Team P GD Pts 1 Arsenal 10 15 25 2 AFC Bournemouth 9 5 18 3 Tottenham Hotspur 10 9 17 4 Chelsea 10 7 17 5 Sunderland 9 4 17 6 Man Utd 10 1 17 7 Man City 9 10 16 8 Crystal Palace 10 5 16 9 Brighton 10 2 15 10 Liverpool 9 2 15 11 Aston Villa 9 1 15 12 Brentford 10 -2 13 13 Newcastle 9 1 12 14 Fulham 10 -2 11 15 Everton 9 -3 11 16 Leeds 10 -8 11 17 Burnley 10 -7 10 18 Nottm Forest 10 -12 6 19 West Ham 9 -13 4 20 Wolverhampton 10 -15 2 Updated at 7.46pm GMT 7.33pm GMT Premier League result: Spurs 0-1 Chelsea Joao Pedro’s goal gave Chelsea victory at Spurs – but they could have won by four or five. Scott Murray is following that one. Related: Tottenham 0-1 Chelsea: Premier League – live reaction 7.01pm GMT Arne Slot makes three changes from last Saturday’s defeat at Brentford. Andy Robertson replaces the struggling Milos Kerkez at left-back; Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister come in for Curtis Jones and Florian Wirtz. Just one changed to the Villa side that beat Manchester City: Evann Guessand comes in for the injured Emi Buendia. 6.52pm GMT Team news Liverpool (4-2-3-1) Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Ekitike.Subs: Woodman, Pecsi, Gomez, Endo, Kerkez, Wirtz, Chiesa, Nyoni, Ngumoha. Aston Villa (4-2-3-1) Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Pau, Digne; Onana, Kamara; Guessand, Rogers, McGinn; Watkins.Subs: Bizot, Maatsen, Lindelof, Mings, Bogarde, Barkley, Sancho, Malen, Broggio. Referee Stuart Attwell. Updated at 6.56pm GMT 6.45pm GMT Arne Slot has said the Liverpool hierarchy share his views on the reasons for the team’s slump and he will not abandon an attacking style in search of a way out. The head coach admitted that six defeats in seven games was unacceptable before Aston Villa’s visit on Saturday and denied making excuses for Liverpool’s worst domestic run in 72 years. Slot accepted the pressure was on before his makeshift team exited the Carabao Cup against Crystal Palace on Wednesday. That pressure to arrest the slide, however, is not, he insisted, coming from Liverpool’s owner, Fenway Sports Group, FSG’s chief executive of football, Michael Edwards, or the sporting director, Richard Hughes, after a summer transfer outlay of almost £450m. Read more… 6.45pm GMT Preamble In a dim, distant past – five and a bit weeks ago – Liverpool were top of the Premier League, 12 points clear of 18th-placed Aston Villa. Now the two clubs are level on points, snuggled together in mid-table. Villa’s recovery is a reminder that things change very quickly in football; that bad patches are almost unavoidable and you just have to ride them out. Easier said than done, especially when you: a) are the reigning championsb) are one of the biggest clubs in the worldc) spent eye-watering wonga in the summer andd) exist in a culture that has gone completely mad The good news for Arne Slot is that there’s a simple solution: if Liverpool win tonight, the bloodlustful masses will look elsewhere. At least until the next game. Kick off 8pm.