Liverpool’s Premier League title cost was slowed by Aston Villa after a pulsating 2-2 draw on Wednesday left neither facet glad. Arne Slot’s males open up an eight-point lead on the prime of the desk over second-placed Arsenal, however the Gunners now have a sport in hand over the Reds. Liverpool led by way of Mohamed Salah however have been additionally pressured to come back from behind after Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins swung momentum in Villa’s favour. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s deflected shot secured some extent for the guests, but it surely ought to have been extra as substitute Darwin Nunez missed an excellent likelihood to grab victory. “You can perceive there’s one individual within the dressing room who feels fairly down,” mentioned Slot on Nunez’s late miss.
“If you watch the sport again we created way more probabilities than them, we did the whole lot we would have liked to do. The solely factor that wasn’t good was conceding from a set-piece.”
Villa, although, may even have received it in stoppage time as Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen went shut.
A degree does little for Villa’s hope of returning to the Champions League subsequent season as they continue to be in ninth.
“A draw I believe is honest for each groups as a result of they’d additionally probabilities to attain,” mentioned Villa boss Unai Emery.
Liverpool at the moment are 22 Premier League video games unbeaten, however after conceding on the demise towards native rivals Everton, a second 2-2 attract eight days gives Arsenal hope within the title race.
Slot’s males additionally face a tricky journey to Manchester City on Sunday.
“We’re completely happy the place we’re,” added Slot. “A bit an excessive amount of now we performed video games the place we deserve greater than we obtained.
“We need to obtain one thing collectively this season and now we have all of the components for it however nonetheless 12 video games to go.”
Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio have been handed their first Villa begins by Emery as he reacted to a disappointing 1-1 draw towards 10-man Ipswich on Saturday.
Rashford almost had a hand within the opening aim however had strayed offside earlier than his cross was became his personal web by Virgil van Dijk.
Villa have been masters of their very own downfall when the opener did arrive on 29 minutes.
Andres Garcia’s backpass went straight to Diogo Jota, who unselfishly squared for Salah to fireplace in his twenty ninth aim of the season.
Villa have been degree inside 9 minutes as Liverpool didn’t correctly clear a free-kick into the field and the ball fell kindly to Tielemans, who produced a cultured end on the volley.
Jota ought to have restored the guests’ benefit instantly when be blazed excessive and vast with simply Emi Martinez to beat.
Instead it was Villa who led at half-time as poor Liverpool defending allowed Watkins a free run to fulfill Lucas Digne’s cross with a header into the far nook.
The Liverpool onslaught adopted within the second half to increase Slot’s run of by no means having misplaced an away Premier League sport.
Jota curled a superb effort from the sting of the field off the bar.
Alexander-Arnold was a rising affect on the sport when he levelled on the hour mark with assistance from a deflection off Tyrone Mings.
Slot threw on Luis Diaz and Nunez off the bench looking for a winner and one among his substitutes ought to have delivered an important three factors.
Nunez had an open aim to purpose at after being picked out by Dominik Szoboszlai however fired over to the disbelief of his supervisor.
Martinez then needed to rush off his line to disclaim Nunez one other clear run on aim.
Villa, although, had nearly all of the probabilities in a frantic finale.
Jacob Ramsey’s strike was dominated out for offside earlier than Rogers and Malen’s highly effective drives flew simply astray.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
