DISAPPOINTED Rafael Benitez admitted Liverpool were their own worst enemies as their 31-game unbeaten home league record came to a crashing halt.

The Anfield outfit slumped to their second defeat in the opening three Premier League games when they lost 3-1 to Aston Villa last night.

A Lucas own goal and a Curtis Davies header gave the Midlanders a half-time lead, and although Fernando Torres pulled a goal back 18 minutes from time, Ashley Young’s penalty three minutes later earned Villa their first win over Liverpool since September 2001.

And an unhappy Benitez believes his players were the architects of their own downfall.

“In the first 20 minutes we had our chances and we didn’t take them,” said the Liverpool manager. “We made a mistake, scored an own goal and conceded in injury time.

“After that we were pushing and on top of them, but then gave away a penalty. We made too many mistakes at crucial moments.

“If you analyse the three goals we conceded, you will see it’s difficult to change things after that – an own goal, a goal in injury time and a penalty. We have lost and we will have to improve.”

Benitez was confident Liverpool could earn a draw after Torres had reduced the deficit until Villa’s penalty – which was awarded for a foul by Steven Gerrard on Nigel Reo-Coker – ended any hopes of a comeback.

“I thought when Torres scored we could get a point,” he added.

“We were pushing harder and better but the crucial moment was when we gave the penalty away and that made a difference.

“If we’d have scored early like against Stoke it would have made a difference. But we were giving the ball away against a team that is good on the counter-attack.

“It’s not easy when the other team is well organised but their keeper made some great saves. That’s part of the game. If the keeper is playing well you need to create more chances.”

Having lost at Tottenham Hotspur on the opening day, Liverpool find themselves already six points adrift of Spurs and title rivals Chelsea. And Benitez admitted his team must embark on a lengthy unbeaten run, starting at Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.