Aston Villa vs Man City LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction tonight after Leon Bailey earns draw
Aston Villa 1-1 Manchester City: Leon Bailey responded after Erling Haaland’s opener to deny the champions
Another goal from Erling Haaland wasn’t enough for Manchester City this time as Leon Bailey’s second-half equalizer salvaged a 1-1 draw for Aston Villa against the defending champion in the English Premier League on Saturday.
Haaland took his tally to 10 goals from six games by volleying in a cross from Kevin de Bruyne in the 50th minute but then missed two chances to score a second before Villa struck back.
Bailey met a low cross from Jacob Ramsey and hammered a first-time shot high into the net in the 74th to rescue a valuable point for Villa, whose manager Steven Gerrard was under heavy pressure after three straight league losses.
For City, it’s a second draw to go with four wins in the opening six games, leaving it tied for second place with Tottenham on points. Leader Arsenal has a chance to go four points clear on Sunday if it can maintain its perfect record when it travels to Manchester United.
Pep Guardiola’s City has made a habit of going two goals down before rallying, but this time it was their turn to relinquish the lead.
Haaland had been quiet in the first half but showed his predatory instincts when he came flying in at the far post to meet a pinpoint cross from De Bruyne, jumping high to side-foot the ball in.
The towering Norway striker forced two good saves from Emiliano Martinez as City pushed for a second goal.
That left the visitors open to counterattacks, though, and Ramsey had already squandered one such opportunity with a heavy touch by the time he set up Bailey for the equalizer.
Midfielder Rodri came closest to a winner for City when his shot from outside the area crept narrowly wide in the 87th.
Everton 0-0 Liverpool
16 mins: It’s good composure from Alexander-Arnold to link up with Joe Gomez and beat the press of Anthony Gordon. The Liverpool right-back then fires a long ball up to Luis Diaz who tries to control it with his chest as the ball skips into the box.
Jordan Pickford is off his line to close him down and Diaz can’t stop the ball from rollling out for a goal kick.
Everton 0-0 Liverpool
13 mins: Harvey Elliott is an enterprising midfielder who likes to drive into the box on and off the ball. That said his runs do leave space in midfield that Everton are exploiting to quickly transition up the pitch.
Nathan Patterson and Luis Diaz get into a bit of a tangle and the referee has a word with both men. It’s nice defending from the Everton man who’s getting stuck into his work today.
Everton 0-0 Liverpool
Everton 0-0 Liverpool
10 mins: Chance! Harvey Elliott misplaces a pass to Fabinho and Everton latch onto the loose ball. Gray drives to the box and slips it through to Maupay whose first touch takes it behind Virgil van Dijk.
He looks to shoot with an effort across the box but he scuffs his connection and sends it wide of the far post.
Everton 0-0 Liverpool
8 mins: Fabinho leans across Anthony Gordon in the middle of the pitch and gifts the home side a free kick. Coady fizzes one long and picks Demarai Gray on the right side.
He delivers a decent cross into the box but Neal Maupay can’t reach it and the ball skips safely through the area.
Everton 0-0 Liverpool
7 mins: Liverpool have started strongly. They’re finding lots of success with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mo Salah and Harvey Elliott combining on the right side.
Conor Coady is called into action to head clear a cross from Elliott but Liverpool continue to pile pressure on the Everton defence.
Everton 0-0 Liverpool
5 mins: Liverpool’s first corner is swung into the middle by Trent Alexander-Arnold but the Toffees work it away. The ball drops kindly for Kostas Tsimikas just outside the box and he drills a low effort at goal but Tarkowski is there once more to get the block in.
Everton 0-0 Liverpool
3 mins: Virgil van Dijk swings an aerial pass over to Mo Salah on the right wing and the Egyptian stops the ball dead. He flicks a left-footed pass into the box as Darwin Nunez splits the Everton centre-backs but James Tarkowski gets to it first and sends it behind for a corner.
Kick off: Everton 0-0 Liverpool
Liverpool kick off the match and work the ball over to the left wing where it bounces out of play for an Everton throw in. The homse side send it down the line but the Red recover the ball and push back into Everton’s half.
Klopp on Liverpool’s shaky defence
Liverpool’s most recent trend has seen them concede the first goal in four of their five Premier League matches this season and is a problem that Jurgen Klopp is yet to solve.
“I am not 100% sure what it is about [conceding the first goal].” he said before kick off. “We try to be dominant from the start and that will be difficult today because of what is at stake and it is Goodison and I am sure it will be a lively and aggressive start from Everton. We have to be ready. At the end, football is all about reaction. When the other team has a goal you have to respond to that. I hope at some point in the season we don’t have to talk about this anymore.
“Bobby [Firmino] is in top shape but came back injury and has now played a lot. Darwin [Nunez] is fresh so that is the reason [he plays]. We had to change in midfield, it was clear. We had Milly [Milner] or Fabinho. We decide for Fabio as Milly can come on for five positions. Kostas [Tsimikas] for Robbo [Robertson] is just time. Robbo plays all the time and when we can make a change unforced we should do it.
“[Demarai] Gray will go to the wing and [Neal] Maupay will go up front [for Everton]. He is a lively boy, very aggressive. Good player. Everton did really well last few games. They have found a system now. Press from time to time. Direct style. When [Jordan] Pickford gets the ball he goes pretty long. Makes the pitch long. It is a challenge for our team, fight for lots of second balls.”
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