If Liverpool needed any reminder how tough life will be without last season's two leading goalscorers, it was provided by Aston Villa.

Paul Lambert's side grabbed an early lead in the Barclays Premier League match through Gabriel Agbonlahor and then clung on for a 1-0 success as their hosts struggled to create clear-cut chances.

Stand-in captain Agbonlahor hailed a resolute defensive effort as Aston Villa once again came away from Anfield with an upset.

He said: "We came here with tactics to frustrate Liverpool and try and nick a goal, and they came off perfectly for us."

Agbonlahor's goal capped a superb week for the Villa frontman, who signed a new four-year deal with the club on Wednesday.

"It wasn't the best of goals but I think you take them in the Premier League when they come. It's nice to top off a really good week for me," he said.

With Daniel Sturridge sidelined for up to three weeks with a thigh injury - for which manager Brendan Rodgers has still not forgiven England - it meant Liverpool started a game without him or Luis Suarez, a summer departure to Barcelona, for the first time since December 2012.

Last season the pair scored 56 league goals between them so it was immediately apparent where the Reds were most likely to be under the greatest strain.

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers was left to rue that lack of killer instinct in the final third as they had 18 shots at goal but just one on target as they suffered their second league defeat of the campaign.

"We started slowly in the game and only probably only started to click and up the tempo when we went 1-0 behind," said the Northern Irishman, who left talismanic Raheem Sterling on the bench.

"I think the players gave everything. It was a bit of mixture, we couldn't find that quality in the final third of the field and Aston Villa defended well.

"We just couldn't find the final pass, we had enough of the ball, but we just couldn't create so much."