Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool's victory over Aston Villa has issued a statement of intent to their rivals and given Rafael Benítez's side a "fighting chance" of achieving a top-four finish. The former England international acknowledged that Liverpool's hopes of overhauling Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Villa would have all but ended had they suffered defeat last night but, buoyed by Fernando Torres's dramatic stoppage-time winner, Carragher is optimistic that their season can be salvaged.
Liverpool occupy seventh place and still have ground to make up, but their triumph at Villa Park, which with Saturday's victory against Wolves gave Benítez's team their first back-to-back Premier League wins in more than three months, means that they can move to within one point of fourth-placed Tottenham when the clubs meet at Anfield on Sunday week.
"It was a big result at Aston Villa," Carragher said. "Obviously it brings us a lot closer to Villa. If they had beaten us, it would have been a big points difference. We realise what would have happened if we had lost. People would have said we were miles away and that was it for the top four so we have given ourselves a fighting chance. I haven't looked at the table for a while so I am not sure how far or how close we are – when it's not going well, there is no point. But if we can win the next game against Tottenham as well, that can put us right in the mix."
Carragher accepts that Liverpool are perceived to be vulnerable this season, with Tottenham, Manchester City and Villa all sensing an opportunity to qualify for the Champions League at their expense. Liverpool's poor first half of the season has fuelled belief among that trio of clubs that the established order can be broken up but Carragher feels that the three points collected at Villa will serve as a reminder of their resilience.
"Of course it was important to win against one of our rivals. We've been up there for a long time," the 31-year-old said. "There are always other teams wanting to shoot you down. Over the last few years Villa have been one of those teams around the top six alongside Everton. But this time Manchester City have come on and Tottenham have done really well and I think they are all looking at us at the team they can take the place of. So it is more than just the three points against Villa. It was a statement to everyone that we are still fighting for that place."
Once again Liverpool were indebted to the brilliant Torres, whose winner in the third minute of stoppage-time was his 50th Premier League goal in only 72 appearances, setting a club record as the fastest player to reach that landmark. Roger Hunt had required another six top-flight matches before he hit a half-century of goals while other famous names from Liverpool's not too distant past, including Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen, needed longer still, placing Torres's achievement into context.
"Villa defend very well and it was always going to be tough for him up there on his own but he kept battling away and got his reward," Carragher said. "He is a great player, a world-class striker, and to beat people like Owen, Rush, Fowler, Hunt, these type of players, to reach the milestone before them, just says it all. To be on top of that list, just shows what a great player he is. And you pay the money [the £20m fee] for last-minute goals like that against Villa."
