Phil Neville admitted the last-minute defeat to Aston Villa was on a par to being knocked out of the Uefa Cup by Fiorentina. "It's probably one of the most disappointing defeats I have suffered since I have been at this club," he told The Liverpool Echo.

"We are all absolutely devastated.

"If we had come off at the end with a 2-2 draw, it would have felt like a victory. I think we deserved it with the effort and commitment we put into the game.

"It ranks along with losing to Fiorentina."

He added: "It's a bitter pill to swallow. We had enough defenders on the pitch and we should have shut up shop."