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 vs Liverpool
This is a must win game for Liverpool. Manchester City are three points ahead of them and have a better goal difference. The players make their way out onto the pitch at Villa Park.
Gerrard on facing Liverpool
Steven Gerrard spoke about what it is like to come up against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.
“They’re a world-class team, arguably the best in the world right now and we’re well aware of the challenge,” he said. “I’ve spoken many times about how I respect the coach and the coaching staff there.
“But you either fear that or you put your shoulders back and try to take it on. Every team on the planet has areas or situations in a game where you can hurt them.”
Jurgen Klopp vows to ‘delete bad things’ from Liverpool draw against Tottenham
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists his side will “delete the bad things” from Saturday’s draw with Tottenham and focus on what they did well.
The Reds came from behind to secure a point at home to Spurs – the first time they had not won at Anfield in the Premier League since October – but a lot of their attacking play was far from what Klopp wanted to see.
His side swung in 46 crosses in the game, which is way above their normal number, as they chased the win which would have maintained the pressure on league leaders Manchester City.
Klopp was unhappy with the way his players deviated from their tried-and-trusted methods but believes they will have no problem hitting the reset switch for Tuesday’s trip to Aston Villa.
Jurgen Klopp vows to ‘delete bad things’ from draw against Tottenham
Klopp’s title hopefuls visit Villa Park on Tuesday night
Aston Villa vs Liverpool
Mo Salah has scored 30 goals for Liverpool in all competitions this campaign, one short of his total for the Reds last season. However, he has failed to score in 11 of his last 12 club appearances.
If he scores at Villa Park, Salah will become only the second player in the club’s history to net in four consecutive league matches versus Villa after Roger Hunt, who did so between 1963 and 1965.
Aston Villa vs Liverpool
Villa boss Steven Gerrard scored 186 goals in 710 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions (1998-2015).
Only Ian Callaghan and Jamie Carragher played more games for the Reds, while only Ian Rush, Roger Hunt, Gordon Hodgson and Billy Liddell scored more times for the club.
Aston Villa vs Liverpool
Danny Ings is aiming to become the first player since Romelu Lukaku in 2017-18 to score against three former sides in a single Premier League season.
Pep Guardiola’s Liverpool comments reveal the sharp edge to ‘friendly’ Manchester City rivalry
If it feels like it was only a few weeks ago that everyone was describing Manchester City and Liverpool’s rivalry as friendly – perhaps even too friendly – that’s because it was.
It is just about a month since the 2-2 draw at the Etihad ended with hugs between the clubs’ respective Brazilian contingents, Kevin De Bruyne revealing he chats to Virgil van Dijk on the school run, and one of the most overenthusiastic high fives ever seen between Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.
A lot has changed in the short time since – Liverpool have reached the Champions League final, for starters, while City have opened up a three-point gap on their rivals at the top of the Premier League following Sunday’s 5-0 win over Newcastle United – but the public-facing element of the rivalry had remained as good-natured as ever.
Pep Guardiola’s Liverpool comments reveal the sharper edge to this ‘friendly’ rivalry
Guardiola’s ‘everyone supports Liverpool’ comment was not the first time he has hinted at such suspicions
Aston Villa vs Liverpool
Liverpool have won all 18 games this season against teams starting the day in the bottom half of the table, by an aggregate score of 52-4.
No team in Premier League history has ever won 100% of their games against bottom half sides in a single campaign, with Liverpool’s current tally of 18 wins the joint-most along with Manchester United in 2006-07.
Aston Villa vs Liverpool
Liverpool could equal their club record of 22 clean sheets in a Premier League season, set in 2005-06.
Aston Villa vs Liverpool
Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat to Leicester at the King Power Stadium is the only away league match in which they have failed to score this season.
Only twice before in their history have they scored more away league goals in a season than the 41 they have netted in this campaign: 42 in 1946-47 and 48 in 2013-14.
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