Aston Villa vs Liverpool LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction tonight
Live updates from Villa Park as Steven Gerrard meets Jurgen Klopp in tonight’s Premier League action
A slip from Steven Gerrard may have cost Liverpool a Premier League title. A team of his will not do likewise this year, valiantly as Aston Villa tried. For an hour, Manchester City seemed to be closing in on the crown. Liverpool looked like dropping points for the second successive game.
But there was no slip-up after May’s great catalyst intervened. Liverpool have trailed in all three matches in the month, but their powers of recovery have been aided by Luis Diaz. The January signing was the architect of Sadio Mane’s eighth goal in his last 10 starts. The Senegalese got a crucial winner at Villa Park in a title-winning campaign in 2019: this, earlier in the game but far later in the season, has the potential to be as crucial.
In an instant, Jurgen Klopp was rewarded for benching Mohamed Salah, whose goal drought, penalties and matches against Manchester United aside, stretches back to February. If Klopp picked on form, he was vindicated on a day when Liverpool struggled to reach their best as they were buffeted by waves of Villa attacks.
There was a sense that, 59 games into a marathon season, Liverpool’s strenuous efforts were finally catching up with them. They were stretched as Villa were the sharper side in the first half, but they have a resilience and Klopp has an array of formidable forwards and the three who started combined for a decider that felt further testament to the relentlessness of Diaz.
Follow reaction from Villa Park below:
Aston Villa 1 - 1 Liverpool
27 mins: Fabinho takes too long on the ball and is robbed by Philippe Coutinho. He slides Danny Ings into the left side of the box and he holds it up long enough for help to arrive.
Villa win a throw in anf Fabinho goes down off the ball. Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara have been sent out to warm up. Fabinho may not continue here, it looks like a hamstring problem.
Aston Villa 1 - 1 Liverpool
24 mins: It should be 2-1 to Villa. The cross comes in from the left wing and Danny Ings meets it in the air. He whips his head onto the ball and is looking for the near top corner but achingly sends the ball over the bar.
Aston Villa 1 - 1 Liverpool
21 mins: Mistake! Alisson Becker gets away with one. He jogs out of his own area to receive a backpass but sends his own pass straight to Ollie Watkins. Watkins isn’t expecting the ball and his first touch is poor. Alisson scrambles over to the loose ball and manages to turn it around the striker to one of his teammates. Nervous times for the Liverpool goalkeeper.
Aston Villa 1 - 1 Liverpool
18 mins: Ezri Konsa fouls Diogo Jota over near the left hand corner flag. Liverpool’s free kick is whipped into the box but Villa deal with it without too much trouble.
Chance! Liverpool are starting to find some rhythm. They pass the ball around the middle of the pitch and guide it out to Tsimikas on the left side. He curls a cross into the box and perfectly picks out Sadio Mane whose headed effort goes narrowly wide of the far post!
Aston Villa 1 - 1 Liverpool
15 mins: Watkins and Matip tussle to get to an aerial ball and the Aston Villa striker lands awkwardly on his own wrist. He gives it a rub and a shake and will be fine to play on.
Luis Diaz makes a run into the right side of the penalty area as Virgil Van Dijk floats a diagonal pass over the top. Lucas Digne sneaks in front of the Liverpool winger and knocks the ball clear.
Aston Villa 1 - 1 Liverpool
12 mins: Liverpool are very unstable at the back. Cash and Luiz combine on the right wing to move the ball alongside the Reds’ penalty area. Cash darts inside off the ball and Luiz chips it back to him. He squares it into the six-yard box where Joel Matip scuffs away a clearance. The ball drops for Lucas Digne who has a shy at goal but spoons his effort high and wide.
Aston Villa 1 - 1 Liverpool
9 mins: There was a quick VAR check to make sure no fouls were committed in the Villa box. There wasn’t so Liverpool’s goal stands and they’re back on level terms.
John McGinn floats a pass over to the right side for Ollie Watkins to chase down. He collects the ball and whips a cross into the box but fires it straight into the hands of Alisson.
GOAL! Aston Villa 1 - 1 Liverpool (Matip, 6’)⚽️
6 mins: Early equaliser! Liverpool win a free kick over on the right side of the pitch. Trent Alexander-Arnold swings the set piece into the box where Tyrone Mings and Marvelous Nakamba make a mess of their attempted clearance. Diogo Jota manages to squeeze it over to Virgil Van Dijk who shoots. Emi Martinez gets a hand to deflect the shot but knocks it down for Joel Matip to tap home from close range!
GOAL! Aston Villa 1 - 0 Liverpool (Douglas Luiz, 3’)⚽️
3 mins: Early breakthrough! Ollie Watkins is played into the left side of the penalty area and blasts a shot at goal which Alisson keeps out. He parries the ball away but Villa quickly recover it. Matty Cash swings a cross in from the right that Danny Ings glances on to John McGinn. McGinn gives it to Lucas Digne whose cross picks out Douglas Luiz in the middle of the box. He fires a header at goal that Alisson palms down but the ball comes loose and Luis is there to smoke it home from inside the six-yard box!
Kick off: Aston Villa 0 - 0 Liverpool
Liverpool get the match started at Villa Park. The ball is knocked back to Joel Matip who sends a hopeful diagonal pass over to the left wing. Sadio Mane manages to keep the ball in play but can’t pick out Kostas Tsimikas and sends his own pass over the touchline.
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