Liverpool player ratings from the disastrous Premier League loss to Aston Villa

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Do Liverpool even want to qualify for the Champions League next season?Still without their place in Europe’s top competition for 2026/27 secured, Liverpool suffered a miserable 4-2 loss against Aston Villa and played as though they were comfortably strolling toward back-to-back league titles, producing a lifeless display that failed to generate a goal from open play.Additionally, not only did it mark Liverpool’s first league defeat at Villa Park since 2020, but it was also the first time an Arne Slot side had conceded four goals in a Premier League match, and they have now equaled their most defeats in all competitions in a single season this century (19) — the perfect sour cherry on top of what has been a miserable campaign.So, amid yet another flat and frustrating performance, were there any players who still showed a willingness to fight for the badge on Friday night?Starting XI:Giorgi Mamardashvili: 5.5/10- There was not much he could have done about Rogers’ opening goal and McGinn's super hit, but he needed to handle Villa’s third far better, as the rebound should have been claimed cleanly rather than spilled into danger. Ultimately, it proved to be in vain, and he could hardly be blamed for any of Villa’s four goals.

However, given the attacking tradition Liverpool have enjoyed from their fullbacks in recent years, he needs to start finding ways to contribute more consistently in the final third and add goal contributions to his game.Joe Gomez: 6/10- It stuck in my craw to see him attempting ambitious efforts from outside the box despite still lacking a senior goal in a match of this magnitude, and beyond creating a few decent moments with his long throws, he offered little else. Liverpool’s inconsistency at right-back continues to rear its head in what has become an exhausting season.Ryan Gravenberch: 6.5/10- Good for a few GravenTurns here and there, and while Villa’s midfield didn’t offer much compared to the clinical edge of their forwards on the night, he still managed to keep things relatively controlled in the middle of the park.

He showed a bit more spark when shifted to right-back, where he’s impressed in recent weeks, but overall he still failed to make any real mark on the game.Rio Ngumoha: 6.5/10- Thought he was a bit selfish in possession at times, but like any confident attacker, he kept pulling the trigger and was unlucky not to be rewarded in the second half when his effort rattled the post. Another performance defined by extreme highs and lows, perhaps reminiscent of the Barnsley game.Cody Gakpo: 5.5/10- He’s not a defender, but he was the closest Liverpool player to Morgan Rogers for his well-taken goal and still failed to get close enough to apply any meaningful pressure.