VIDEO Highlights: Liverpool 1 Aston Villa 3

Good blog by Phil McNulty on bbc: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/2009/08/oneill_stung_by_critics.html I asked O'Neill whether he was hurt by the criticism and he said: "We have won at Anfield and the players were simply brilliant. "I said at the time if you are booed off at the end of the game when you have not played well and you deserve that then fine, but I was disconcerted by it at half-time against Wigan. I didn't hear Liverpool being booed off at half-time when they were two goals down here." Point made and he had one. It is a big season for O'Neill, his fourth at Villa and one when he needs to at least make close acquaintance with silverware, but to deliver a resounding raspberry in the general direction of such a manager and his team 45 minutes into a new season is nonsensical.

i just wrote a post about that!

Funny that, Sky reported that 'Rafa walked off at half time with the boos ringing in his ears'!!

I did not hear the boo's on tv at half time from Liverpool. Think that may be just lazy journalism. The fact of the matter is, after 45 minutes of the opening game of the season, instead of inspire our team to get the 3 points, we boo them. It is so dissapointing. Is it any wonder our away record is so much better than our home. With a bit of inspiration we can beat anyone, as last night showed. It just seems some fans want us to have faults so they can moan. No doubt fans will pick fault with this, and miss the point, and whinge. Any excuse. I can completely understand O'Neill being unhappy with the boos at half time from Wigan game. Completely unnacceptable

Oh yes they booed at HT at Liverpool, then again when the ref went off

Why do people (including MON) keep saying that Villa fans were booing the team after only 45 / 90 minutes of football? We haven't played well since about February last season, and we looked slightly worse that that against Wigan! 90 minutes? Try months guys! That said, a great result against Red Scouse, it just goes to show what a roller coaster ride being a Villa fan is, clueless and lacklustre at home against lowly Wigan, a few days later we go to Mersyside and beat the 'Pool in their own back yard!!

Its funny in that you go to the actual game, then find yourself sitting down to watch tv and/or video highlights when you return home, to see what actually happened! For example, we knew that Benayoun's first minute headed effort when Brad Friedel dithered was pretty damn close to being the opening goal, but until we reviewed the highlights later, we weren't sure just how close. Most of us in my locality thought that James Milner had got the final touch to put us one-nil up, and were somewhat surprised when the stadium announcer called it as an own goal. However, sure enough, check the highlights. The stadium announcer was right, we were wrong. Why do we actually even bother going to the games? I could sit on the couch, watch the tv, and save myself a small fortune every season. On another topic, I have to say that I never heard the half-time boo's that were supposedly directed at Benitez or his team. The stadium was up in arms at the referee, who incidentally I thought had a good game, but I dont think that abuse was being hurled at the home team. Just an opinion of course, but even after the game, the home fans weren't giving stick to their favourites, except the rather unfortunate Lucas.

I agree Glensider, my perception was they were probably unhappy with the referee (even though he had a good game). They are unlikely to boo the team at half time. I think it reflects in our results that our away support get behind the team and encourage. I have a season ticket in trinity road upper and it is laughable the amount of fans behind me who seem to love to be negative, and this has an adverse effect on our team. Booing the team at half time is a disgrace. It will never encourage them