Villa handed Liverpool opener

John Arne Riise scored the only goal of the game the last time the teams met on the first day of the season in 2002, and Villa have not beaten the Reds since Stan Collymore helped inspire them to a 2-1 victory in February 1998. Four days later Villa visit Blackburn at Ewood Park before journeying across the Pennines for the match at Newcastle on 18 August to complete a tough set of fixtures. Martin O'Neill will have to wait until 10 November for a first taste of the Birmingham derby when Villa visit St Andrews, while the return takes place on 19 April - exactly two years to the day after Gary Cahill's stunning strike helped seal a welcome victory over the Blues.