Aston Villa 2-2 Liverpool: Salah & TAA goals not enough, Nunez misses sitter

Liverpool moved eight points clear at the top of the Premier League after being held to a gripping draw at Aston Villa.

Match Report

Arne Slot’s expression said it all. As Donyell Malen’s angled shot sneaked just past the post in stoppage time, the Liverpool manager closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.

Unlike his predecessor Jurgen Klopp, the Dutchman rarely lets his emotions show but the pressure of a title race affects even the calmest coaches.

While a draw at Aston Villa is never a bad result, defeat for the league leaders here would have set alarm bells ringing. As it is, they edged eight points clear of Arsenal, who have a game in hand and can close the gap to five points with a win over West Ham on Saturday.

The significance of this result will become apparent only after Liverpool’s next two games. Beat Manchester City and Newcastle, and this looks a decent night’s work. Fail to win either and it will seem a serious missed opportunity, especially with so many chances squandered.

Substitute Darwin Nunez firing over an open goal with virtually his first touch was the best example of their wastefulness.

‘There is one player in the dressing who feels quite down,’ acknowledged Slot. ‘You know who it is.’

Liverpool needed a second-half equaliser from Trent Alexander-Arnold to extend their unbeaten run to 22 matches. Even though Mohamed Salah had put them ahead with his 24th league goal this season just before the half-hour, Liverpool trailed at half-time.

Their defence was at fault twice as Youri Tielemans equalised and Ollie Watkins put Villa in front and at the other end, only three of Liverpool’s 17 shots were on target. Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio made their full debuts for Villa but it was their replacements, Jacob Ramsey and Malen, who looked particularly effective when they were brought on.

Though they rode their luck at times, this was a decent display from Unai Emery’s injury-hit side as they negotiate a run of five games in 20 days and they, too, had opportunities to win.

Liverpool dominated the early stages. Virgil van Dijk volleyed Trent Alexander-Arnold’s pass over and Mings did well to block Diogo Jota’s strike.

Yet Villa overcame those early jitters. Rashford thought he had created the opener when he collected Asensio’s return pass and saw his cross rebound into the net off Van Dijk – only for the offside flag to deny Villa. At the other end, Mings did well to deny Curtis Jones on the slide before Jota’s mishit volley crept wide.

Then it was Emi Martinez’s turn to bail out Villa when he raced from goal to stop Dominik Szoboszlai converting Jones’ pass.

As Liverpool prepared to face a corner, Axel Disasi appeared to swing an arm to escape the attentions of Alexis Mac Allister, who hit the deck clutching his face. Villa were probably relieved to see Disasi escape with only a yellow card.

They were even luckier to escape moments later as Salah drifted away from Mings only to put his far-post header into the Holte End.

The problem for Villa is that Salah rarely lets opponents off the hook twice. Under little pressure, Andres Garcia passed straight to Jota and seconds later, Salah had slammed home the cut-back – yet their lead lasted only nine minutes.

The visitors missed two chances to deal with Rashford’s free-kick in the 38th minute and when Szoboszlai could only clear Mings’ header to Tielemans, the Belgian volleyed it in from close range.

Villa are always liable to switch off at the back, however, and Jota was cursing himself for a dire finish after Garcia had fallen asleep again.

When Villa’s chance came, they were ruthless. Watkins played the ball wide to Lucas Digne and when the forward ran into the box, no Liverpool player followed him. Watkins promptly headed in the cross as the Reds vented at referee Craig Pawson for allowing play to continue when the ball struck McGinn’s hand in the build-up.

Early in the second half, Rashford was quickest to Digne’s long pass and evaded Alisson, who had hared unwisely from his goal. Rashford’s effort from a tight angle was heading into the net until Ibrahima Konate’s goal-line header rescued his side.

At the other end, Szoboszlai’s effort took a kind bounce off Mings and Jota’s effort from the fringe of the box touched the top of the crossbar.

The next ricochet was not so friendly for Mings, as Alexander-Arnold’s drive clipped the defender’s calf and left Martinez helpless. By now the home side were wobbling and Jota went close again with a header.

Both Jota and Alexander-Arnold were taken off soon afterwards, with Alexander-Arnold looking particularly unhappy with the call. Nunez should have put the Reds in front with his first touch only to send Szoboszlai’s pass into the North Stand with Martinez stranded.

The Argentine is a man for the big moments though and produced a spectacular sliding challenge to stop Nunez seizing on a Mings error. Villa were still dangerous, though, and Morgan Rogers should have scored in added time before Malen just failed to hit the bullseye – and Slot’s reaction told the whole story.

Line-ups

Aston Villa XI: E. Martinez, Digne, McGinn, Mings, Tielemans, Asensio, Ollie Watkins, Disasi, Rashford, Morgan Rogers, Andrés García

Subs: R. Olsen, Matty Cash, Malen, Maatsen, Jacob Ramsey, Oliwier Zych, Lamare Bogarde, Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Salah, Van Dijk, Robertson, Jota, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, Gravenberch

Subs: Endo, Tsimikas, Kelleher, Chiesa, Luis Díaz, Nunez, Elliott, Quansah, Conor Bradley