Liverpool vs Aston Villa LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction today
Follow all the action as Steven Gerrard returns to Anfield
There was no happy homecoming for Steven Gerrard, no “celebrating like a crazy devil,” no narratives feeding into future ambitions. The man he termed “100 per cent the best player in the world now” saw to that, firing in a low, hard penalty to further Liverpool’s title fight.
Mohamed Salah’s direct goal contribution ticked over to 14 consecutive league games, his 67th-minute winner deflating an Aston Villa side that departed without a shot on target.
The task was not to make it easy for Liverpool, but Gerrard’s men didn’t figure it would be this hard to conjure threat of their own.
The scoreline belied a story of enterprise versus total obstruction, with substitute Diogo Jota missing a glorious chance late on to make that more clear.
Liverpool 1 - 0 Aston Villa
84 mins: James Milner comes on for Liverpool replacing Thiago Silva for the final few minutes at Anfield. Alexander-Arnold whips a corner into the box but sends it straight into the hands of Martinez.
GOAL! Chelsea 2 - 2 Leeds ⚽️
83 mins: Huge goal at Stamford Bridge as Leeds have a late equaliser. Joe Gelhardt has just come on for Raphinha, he breaks into the box and squeezes in front of Thiago Silva to meet a cross and guide it into the back of the net. It’s the youngster’s first Premier League goal and what a big one it could turn out to be.
Liverpool 1 - 0 Aston Villa
81 mins: Aston Villa are throwing men forward and creating space on the right wing for Matty Cash. He’s whipped a couple of decent crosses into the box but Van Dijk manages to deal with both of them.
Liverpool 1 - 0 Aston Villa
78 mins: Konsa gets away with one as a backpass to Martinez comes up short. Jota gets to the ball and dinks it around the sprawling goalkeeper but sends the effort wide of goal!
Liverpool 1 - 0 Aston Villa
75 mins: Danny Ings is on for Aston Villa. He’s taken up a central position with Buendia and Watkins in behind him. Yet it’s Liverpool who are controlling the game still. Aston Villa are struggling to get the ball out. Konsa sends a pass up towards Douglas Luiz but it’s off target and Andy Robertson collects.
Norwich vs Man Utd: Line-ups
Norwich XI:Krul, Aarons, Hanley, Kabak, Giannoulis Rupp, Gilmour, Placheta, McLean, Sargent, Pukki.
Man Utd XI: De Gea, Dalot, Lindelof, Maguire, Telles, McTominay, Fred, Bruno Fernandes, Sancho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rashford.
Liverpool 1 - 0 Aston Villa
73 mins: Salah drives into the box from the right side and looks for the top corner with a left-footed shot that is deflected behind for a corner.
Emiliano Buendia is on for Aston Villa replacing Jacob Ramsey.
Liverpool 1 - 0 Aston Villa
70 mins: 20 minutes to go at Anfield. Can Aston Villa find a way back into the match. They’ve not had a great deal of joy going forward but they may have to open themselves up a little now that they’re chasing the game.
Mo Salah now has 21 goals for the season.
GOAL! Liverpool 1 - 0 Aston Villa (Salah, 67’) ⚽️
67 mins: Salah breaks the deadlock. He fires the penalty into the bottom right hand corner. It’s a great penalty! Martinez leapt the correct way but the can’t get near the ball and Liverpool finally take the lead at Anfield.
Penalty to Liverpool!
Liverpool 0 - 0 Aston Villa
65 mins: Mo Salah is sent down the right channel by Henderson and brings the ball into the box. He flicks the ball away from Mings and sprints around the Villa captain. Mings tries to recover but blunders into Liverpool’s leading goalscorer and barges him to the ground. Clear penalty.
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