Aston Villa vs Liverpool LIVE: Premier League result and reaction after four-goal thriller
Aston Villa 2-2 Liverpool: Trent Alexander-Arnold’s deflected strike secured a draw as the Reds extended their lead to eight points
Liverpool missed the chance to move 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League but avoided defeat as Aston Villa battled to a thrilling 2-2 draw and hand hope to title race challenges Arsenal.
The leaders were gifted the opening goal as defender Andres Garcia passed straight to Diogo Jota and the forward squared to Mohamed Salah for his 24th goal of the season.
But Arne Slot’s side did not hold their advantage for long as they failed to clear a free-kick and Youri Tielemans thrashed in a volley to draw Unai Emery’s team level.
And Liverpool switched off again as they appealed for a handball on John McGinn, only to see Ollie Watkins ghost into the box to head in on the stroke of half-time.
Ibrahima Konate was forced to clear off the line as Marcus Rashford, on his first Aston Villa start, skipped past Alisson to shoot from out wide before Liverpool drew level.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s deflected shot beat Emi Martinez as Liverpool then chased victory, with substitute Darwin Nunez blazing a golden chance over the crossbar. At the other end, Donyell Malen flashed a low shot past the post at the death.
But Liverpool’s second away draw in a row, after the Merseyside derby, opens the door to Arsenal - who would close Liverpool’s lead to five points if they beat West Ham on Saturday.
Follow all the Premier League action with our live blog below:
The Darwin Nunez miss that Liverpool may regret in Premier League title race
Ten points clear with 12 games to go would have almost certainly put Liverpool, without a completely convincing title rival, on course for a second Premier League title before February is even out.
But Darwin’s gonna Darwin. Nunez has made a telling contribution to several Liverpool victories this term, but that penchant for the most calamitous misses never ceases to amaze.
The Uruguayan missed 27 big chances last term, but few as glaring as the one that could, and should, have earned Liverpool victory that had the potential to end the title race as a contest. A draw against a thrilling Aston Villa is nothing to be ashamed of. Had Mohamed Salah been on the end of Dominik Szoboszlai’s pass late on in front of the Holte End, however, you could call the open-top bus company and start concentrating on what other trophies will accompany the Premier League crown in May.
“When you put all the chances together, I am not happy with the 2-2,” said Liverpool boss Arne Slot. “If you look at the chances we had to win the game, you can understand that there is one person in the dressing room that feels quite down. I think you know who it is."
The Darwin Nunez miss that Liverpool may regret in Premier League title race
Van Dijk: 'We had chances to win the game'
“A bit disappointed but we fight,” Van Dijk told TNT Sports. “We had chances to win the game, took a bit of a risk at the end so it got more open at times. We take a point and move on and focus on a big one at the weekend, again.
"In possession we did quite well, created good opportunities to score the second. Disappointing to concede from a set-piece. We tried everything and unfortunately it wasn't enough for three points.
"We should have scored 3-2, but credit to Aston Villa, they made it very difficult. We have a very tough one on the weekend again, then we play Newcastle, our focus now will be on Man City, a very difficult game, we know that. Do everything in your power to win games, the focus will be that on Sunday again."
Who Liverpool could face in Champions League last-16 draw
Meanwhile, Liverpool have found out their two possible opponents in Friday’s Champions League draw.
The Reds will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Benfica in the last-16, to be determined by tomorrow’s knockout stage draw.
Who Liverpool could face in Champions League last-16 draw
Coming up in the Premier League title race
Liverpool are now a game ahead of Arsenal having been behind them most weeks since early December - the Gunners play their game in hand against Chelsea on the same day as the Reds’ Carabao Cup final against Newcastle.
Before then, here’s how the title race will shape up in the next few days:
Saturday 3pm: Arsenal vs West Ham
Sunday 4:30pm: Manchester City vs Liverpool
Wednesday 7:30pm: Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal
Wednesday 8:15m: Liverpool vs Newcastle
More magic from Mohamed Salah
With another goal and assist tonight, Salah now has 24 goals and 15 assists in the Premier League this season.
He is the first player to register 15+ goals and 15+ assists in the Premier League since Eden Hazard in 2018-19.
He’s also now five goals clear of Erling Haaland in the race for the golden boot. They face each other on Sunday.
Arne Slot on Conor Bradley injury
Arne Slot when asked if there’s any update on Conor Bradley’s injury after the young right back was forced off after coming on as a second half substitute.
“Not that much, although it happened in the sprint. You never know but if a player goes out, it is never a good sign."
Unai Emery hints at frustration despite Liverpool draw: 'Not enough'
Aston Villa showed they can be a match for any of the top sides on their day, but their inconsistency means they look unlikely to qualify for the Champions League for a second season running.
"We competed very well, but we are in the process, we want to get stronger in the Premier League, even playing against some teams who are better than us," Unai Emery said.
"Liverpool is the best team in the Premier League and Champions League but we competed. We were close to get the victory, but I think the result was fair for both teams because they had chances, and we had chances at the end of the match.
"I have to accept it, this draw is adding one point in the table, not being enough, but we have to keep going, positively as well, improving with the players that joined us."
Arne Slot urges Liverpool to kick Premier League habit after Aston Villa draw
Liverpool boss Arne Slot warned his side they cannot afford to keep dropping points in games they deserve to win after a horror miss from Darwin Nunez in a 2-2 draw at Aston Villa.
The three points were there for the taking when Dominik Szoboszlai laid a golden chance on a plate for Nunez, who fired over an open goal at the far post, with Liverpool having to settle for their fourth draw in their last eight matches.
Slot said: “The only reason why we could be happy with a 2-2 was that they got the last chance of the game. OK, a point is good to take, but for the rest, I think all for everything else I’m not happy.
“So performance-wise, not a dip at all today, in my opinion. What we must not do, and we’ve done that a bit too often now, is that we don’t get what we deserve.
“And if you look at all the chances, you put them in a row from us and from them, I think it’s clear which team should have won this game, and we must not make a habit out of that.”
Arne Slot urges Liverpool to kick Premier League habit after Aston Villa draw
Arne Slot on Darwin Nunez’s miss: 'A big chance'
"Szoboszlai made it an open goal chance and then Darwin was, of course, it was not his best leg, he's right footed, of course, but it was still a big chance.
"I was hoping that he could have got another one, because a player like him probably wouldn't miss two chances in a row.
"I think we were all disappointed, but it's normal that a player that missed a chance like this is always a bit more disappointed than the rest."
'We always make it hard for teams'
Ollie Watkins on Aston Villa’s performance after holding Liverpool to a 2-2 draw.
"It was a tough game. They are at the top of the league for a reason. We have a strong record here and always make it hard for teams. Even though we went behind we reacted well and could have nicked it at the end.”
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