Liverpool's Win Over Aston Villa Settled the Nerves - Now It's Time to Prove a Point

In season defined by ugly, hard-fought victories, Sunday's win over Aston Villa was as ugly and hard-fought as they come.

Some of the fragility we've seen since lockdown had conditioned us to fear the worst. Still suffering from hangover induced by that thrashing at the Etihad, at times a Villa breakaway goal looked just around the corner.

But then we were reminded that this was in fact the same Liverpool team who had been crowned Premier League champions with seven games to spare. Up popped Sadio Mané and it was business as usual.

A late Curtis Jones goal gave the scoreline a routine appearance, and set up a conclusion to the season that, even with no more silverware on the line, is crucial.

That might seem like a clutch at straws in order to attach some meaning to a dead rubber finish, but the last thing the Reds can afford to do now is give their rivals any excuse to take heart heading into the summer.

There is already some blood in the water from wounds taken in the pre-lockdown stretch. City, having just inflicted Liverpool's worst league defeat since September 2017, will already be fancying their chances of reclaiming their crown, while both Chelsea and Manchester United - and perhaps even Leicester - are watching the title picture like hyenas eyeing distant prey.

Any stumble Liverpool make now, albeit behind closed doors and with the title in the bag, will only provide potential rivals with ammunition for motivation.

That's why it was key for Jurgen Klopp's team to show against Villa that their will to win was still there, and still enough to get them through, even with nothing to play for against a stubborn team fighting for their lives.

After all, for all their football has been exemplary for long stretches, it's that relentless, single-minded desire that has sprouted the 23-point gap between themselves and the rest of the division. And with no major signings on the horizon - well, other than Thiago - the same mentality will be leaned upon heavily in the hunt for title number 20.

The victory over Villa, as labouring as it was, laid bare another reason why the remainder of the season may well be defining going forward. When Jones rose from the bench to fire in the decisive goal within four minutes, it underlined how the remaining games - with no immediate pressure - can be used to get some of the squad's untested talent up to speed.

Jones' first league goal was a watershed moment that will give a huge confidence boost as he looks to cement his long-term role in the squad. If there is to be a similar coming-of-age for the likes of Neco Williams, Harvey Elliott or even the settling Takumi Minamino, then five games in the next 18 days will have been more than a worthwhile exercise.

The league title is won and in truth it has been since Christmas. But there are records left to break, and there is a point left to prove - one that can be proven while gently nurturing the future of the team.

The five games ahead, though ultimately insignificant compared with the 33 that came before, bring with them a unique opportunity. We're hoping for some Hollywood football, but if we get five more functional, Villa-esque results, which remind the rest of the division where the bar is, then the sun will be shining on Merseyside for the rest of the summer.

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