I thought Kenny's post-match interviews said everything. Nearly every question (or statement) which was hinting at individuals was deflected onto the team ethic. "The greatest thing is to see all the hard work that's done on the training ground during the week translated into 3pts," was a typical response.

There is an obvious massive culture change since the manager's first coming in that the whole football world today seems to centre around the internet through which too many armchair know-alls seem to think they can magic up all the answers to the sorts of miscarriages of justice that have befallen the team this season.

Such people are irrelevant. By far the hardest task associated with managing a football team is keeping a whole host of differing egos happy. To do that there has to be first of all complete faith in the manager from the players and it's a clear as a sunny day that such is the case at Melwood.

Today was the complete team performance from a united bunch of players and I venture to suggest that if, in advance, we were offered the 3pts courtesy of a 2-goal win, we'd have gladly taken them. For my part I'll plead guilty to expressing frustration on days when points were needlessly dropped due to poor finishing, but this afternoon provided a different set of circumstances. Having secured two goals early on, it wasn't through lack of trying that we didn't add to them. But more to the point there was hardly a single moment in the game when we weren't in control. For sure I'd have loved to see a few more goals added but even with that rider, I'm honestly delighted to come away from Villa Park with 3pts from a job well done. The bottom line is that the Reds played really well and got their just desserts.

I said earlier that Kenny hardly moved from the team ethic in his interview, but there was an exception when he sang the praises of Prince Luis, who, it transpires, has been sitting in a hotel room for the best part of three days. In the circumstances, what a performance from the Uruguayan! As an aside, I wonder if Patrice Evra had to endure a similar torment.

Incidentally, he's not my favourite journo, but in all truth a fantastic piece by Henry Winter on today's Telegraph website, which endeavours to balance out the implications for both clubs and players, as well as the FA, in relation to the ongoing saga between Evra and Suarez. Read it for yourself on:

So, roll on Wednesday and a visit to the DW Stadium which, as the JJB, has rarely seen us at our best in recent seasons. Indeed, I suspect it wouldn't have been far from one of Rafa's least favourite grounds. However, with a new manager, the bogey ground impact might no longer apply. Here's hoping and the fact Wigan got that result against Chelsea will surely guard against complacency.

For all that, there was one magical afternoon four or five years back when a 4-0 win ensued with a vintage goal-scoring display from Craig Bellamy. Except that, since the Welshman played most of the match today, one senses that he might spend most of Wednesday on the bench. Still, King Kenny is well up to staying with the same team, but in that respect, much may depend on what the FA tribunal decides in the interim.

One last thought on that last matter. Is there anyone out there who really believes that the matter will go away if the panel were to declare a guilty verdict? Somehow, I think that LFC have their own minds made up on the matter and are ready to defend the player to the bitter end. So that, even the merest suggestion of guilt, with a minute nominal fine or suspended sentence, would be vigorously defended, since that would tar the player with an unwanted label for the rest of his life. Could that be the reason above all why there is a delay? After all, I cannot believe that the panel hadn't come to a broad consensus by Friday afternoon. To declare they'd be working on the matter over the weekend almost certainly suggests that the hardest part will come in appeasing both the two clubs as well as the players involved. To fall even marginally on one side or the other would suggest either one player is a racist or the other is a liar. Mmm.

VILLA PREVIEW / PRINCE LUIS TRIAL
Mike Hopper

Friday

And so our Prince Luis lives on to play Sunday. The coverage of this ongoing saga is quite fascinating since it's clear the press are running scared of prejudicing the outcome even though this is not a court of law.

However, to my way of thinking there are almost certainly some interconnecting threads with the John Terry police case which suggests arriving at a conclusion may be far harder. For example, let us consider that they find Suarez guilty of calling Evra a 'Negrito', with all its cultural ramifications, and impose a significant sentence. Then, a few weeks later the law states that Terry calling Ferdinand 'a black cunt', while not very nice, was not illegal. At this point does the Chelsea captain thus get off Scot free? Essay question: Compare and contrast.

My knowledge of the law is pretty flimsy so, on the face of it, what I'm saying might not stand up. However, this really is one of those instances where justice really must be seen to be done.

For example, relations between Liverpool and Manchester have been as low as they could be for several years now, but I cannot see any way by which Reds' supporters are simply going to accept a punishment which they consider totally unacceptable. For my part I was at the United game not far from the relevant events and my sympathy for Evra is pretty scant. He feigned a foul near the Kop corner flag which the linesman bought and it was that which led to the ongoing verbals. What's more the Frenchman antagonised the crowd in that vicinity by deliberately kissing the badge in a most provocative manner. Parallels with Suarez and his gesture to the Fulham supporters, methinks.

There was plenty going on in the Kop penalty area soon afterwards, but not a thing to suggest that eleven racist expletives had been uttered. The actions of the players round about indicated nothing of that nature at all. And the Kop know that, so that a lengthy ban will almost certainly be deemed quite outrageous to the extent that relations between the two clubs would be set to degenerate to the absolute depths. The knock-on effects are unquestionably mind-blowing.

The decision here has massive, massive implications and I sense that the three FA representatives, while looking to come up with the most accurate verdict they can, will surely be aware of what even a perceived error could lead to. I do not envy their task.

And amidst all of this on Sunday there is a footy match at Villa Park where the home crowd will no doubt be up for directing a whole load of name-calling of their own at our favourite Uruguayan. To some extent everyone is still very much in limbo so that the notion of a siege mentality is not yet appropriate. If Liverpool are truly up for this, I believe they can wipe the floor with Villa on a ground where they've got a pretty good record over recent years. But in the circumstances it's a bit of an 'if' not least because, on recent precedent, we could play the home side off the park and still draw nil-all!

Mike Hopper