Aston Villa Thrash Liverpool 7-2, Move to Second Place

Hat-trick Hero Watkins Fires Villa to Victory

Grealish Orchestrates Five Goals as Liverpool Falter

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Ollie Watkins scored a perfect hat-trick in the first half and Jack Grealish had a hand in five goals as Aston Villa thrashed Liverpool 7-2 to move into second place in the Premier League on Tuesday.

Watkins opened the scoring in the fourth minute, tapping in from close range after Grealish's shot was saved. He doubled the lead in the 22nd minute with a stunning strike from outside the area before completing his hat-trick in the 39th minute with a header from Grealish's cross.

Grealish turned provider again in the second half, setting up John McGinn for the fourth goal in the 56th minute. Ezri Konsa made it five in the 61st minute with a towering header from Grealish's corner, before Trezeguet added a sixth in the 71st minute.

Liverpool pulled two goals back through Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, but it was too little, too late as Aston Villa secured a memorable victory.