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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot with defender Andy Robertson(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Some moments are forever etched in time.

So think of a trip to Villa Park during a championship-challenging season for Liverpool, and thoughts immediately turn to one in particular.

It was November 2019 when the Reds, having made an impressive start to the campaign to lead the table ahead of Manchester City, were a goal behind with mere minutes remaining after a disappointing performance.



City were swept away 3-1 the following week, and there was subsequently rarely any doubt about the destination of the title.

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Now, some 14 games further into the current season, the Reds once again hold a commanding lead at the Premier League summit when heading to Villa Park ahead of a weekend date against City, this time standing seven points clear of nearest challengers Arsenal.

Of course, matters are somewhat different.

Villa back then were hovering above the relegation zone rather than preparing for a Champions League round-of-16 tie next month, while the subsequent game against City on Sunday is on the road with Liverpool haven't not won a league game at the Etihad in approaching 10 years.

What hasn't changed is the importance of both fixtures which, coming ahead of the visit of League Cup finalists Newcastle United next Wednesday, will go some way to determining the destination of the title.

There were signs of strain on Liverpool over the last week when a dramatic 2-2 derby draw at Everton was followed by a tense 2-1 home triumph over improving Wolves on Sunday.

And Andy Robertson, who scored the late equaliser at Villa Park back in 2019 before Sadio Mane's injury-time winner, has warned supporters life isn't going to get any easier with the relentless schedule forcing compromises in the usual preparation.

“It’s never straightforward," he says.

There’s always been a kind of rollercoaster element to it and I think it’s what the fans enjoy (because) it makes the highs a lot more special and obviously the fans’ support has been unbelievable for us up to now.

“Okay, there might be nervy moments and there might be bad moments but hopefully we can all be happy at the end of the season.

"The schedule just now is obviously really intense and you don’t get time to really even analyse the last game before you’re moving on to the next."

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Speaking to livepoolfc.com, Robertson says of the 2019 visit to Villa: “That Villa Park game is probably one of my favourites, one that I definitely look back on with happy memories.

It was obviously a bit earlier on in the season that time but when you go to Villa Park it’s always a tough game.

“There’s a reason why they’ve only been beaten once at Villa Park this season (in the Premier League).
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