Morning Star international editor ROGER McKENZIE reminisces on how he became an Aston Villa fan, and writes about the evolution of the historic club over the years

WEST HAM’S winning run was brought to an abrupt end by an impressive Liverpool side at the London stadium.
The home side had won their preceding five games but six proved a game too far up against the champions.
Hammers manager David Moyes was left deflated by a game, where he felt his team got into useful positions but failed to capitalise.
“We didn’t get the ball down and play, we gave it away,” said Moyes. “We didn’t do it in the moments when we had it.”
Moyes felt it was Liverpool’s pressure that stopped West Ham settling into their usual game.
The visitors certainly pressed Moyes’s men high up the pitch, not allowing them the time to play their usual passing game, working the ball out down the flanks and getting crosses over.
The two teams pretty much cancelled each other out in the first half.
After the interval, Michail Antonio turned in the area and blasted wide.
The arrival of Curtis Jones, replacing James Milner, proved the crucial final piece in the Liverpool puzzle.
Jones found Mohamed Salah in the area after being fed by Trent Alexander-Arnold. Salah then expertly bent the ball into the far corner.
Liverpool’s second came from a West Ham corner, the ball being collected by Alexander-Arnold, whose cross-field ball found Xherdan Shaqiri racing down the left.
His expertly weighted cross was controlled instantly by Salah with his right foot and he then flicked the ball past home keeper Lukasz Fabianski with his left.
A third followed, with an intricate passing movement that saw substitute Roberto Firmino exchange passes with Jones before laying the ball on for Georginio Wijnaldum to side-foot home.
West Ham got a consolation goal when Craig Dawson finished off a corner but it was too little, too late.
The most concerning news for West Ham fans was that Moyes does not expect to do any more business before the transfer window shuts on Monday.
So no new striker to replace Sebastien Haller, leaving Antonio as the only recognised striker in the squad.


