Arne Slot might discover it powerful to decipher and digest a draw that finally tightens Liverpool’s grip on the high. Given how shut the Aston Villa substitute Donyell Malen got here to snatching a Ninety fifth-minute winner, although, maybe will probably be straightforward sufficient. Trent Alexander-Arnold rattled in a second-half equaliser to keep up Liverpool’s unbeaten away run within the Premier League however some extent was irritating given the substitute Darwin Núñez earlier missed a obtrusive likelihood to earn victory.
How a lot encouragement will this consequence give Arsenal, eight factors behind the leaders with a recreation in hand? Diogo Jota additionally missed an excellent first-half likelihood for Liverpool, who seized the lead via Mohamed Salah earlier than targets by Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins put Villa – for whom Marcus Rashford made his first begin since becoming a member of on mortgage from Manchester United – in entrance on the interval.
This developed right into a fascinating, seesawing contest as soon as Villa recovered from an early wave of Liverpool assaults. Virgil van Dijk walloped a shot over the bar after gathering Alexander-Arnold’s improvised outside-of-the boot go and the subsequent minute Tyrone Mings made a few essential interventions, first to dam Diogo Jota’s shot after which Andy Robertson’s cross. Unai Emery gesticulated furiously on the touchline, demanding his gamers increase their degree.
And they also did. Few would have had Rashford and Marco Asensio doubling up on Ryan Gravenberch in Villa shirts in mid-February on their bingo card. Then Rashford flew down the left flank, performed a one-two with Asensio, additionally making his first Villa begin, and Rashford’s low cross cannoned off a Liverpool defender into the again of Alisson’s web. Then got here the verify from the video assistant referee, replays displaying Rashford strayed offside earlier than gathering Asensio’s return. It was a call in line with the remainder of the sport till that time: a procession of nearly-moments. Emiliano Martínez made a nice save to thwart Dominik Szoboszlai after Curtis Jones twirled away from Villa challenges, Lucas Digne beautifully stopped Salah in his tracks.
Emery warned Villa could be punished for dropping off for a second and a lapse of focus gifted Liverpool the lead. Andrés García, the right-back Villa signed from Levante final month, performed a blind backward go straight to Jota, lurking outdoors the 18-yard field, and the Liverpool ahead took a tempo or two earlier than squaring for Salah to transform his cross from shut vary. It was certainly the best of Salah’s 29 targets in all competitions this season. García grimaced, Van Dijk did a double fist-pump. Slot was busy receiving high-fives on the Liverpool bench.
It was a aim that appeared to galvanise Villa. All of a sudden the supporters dialled up the quantity. Villa responded on the pitch. John McGinn stored a Rashford free-kick alive on the again submit after Ibrahima Konaté headed clear after which Mings bopped the ball on once more. Szoboszlai’s clearance dropped straight to Tielemans, who volleyed in.
Liverpool ought to have instantly regained the lead however Jota, performed in on aim by Robertson with solely Martínez to beat, shanked a shot painfully vast. If Jota was not kicking himself then, he certainly was when Liverpool headed down the tunnel trailing on the interval. Watkins kickstarted the transfer himself earlier than spreading play and drifting into the field unmarked to spook Van Dijk and head in a Digne cross in first-half stoppage time, sparking bedlam within the North Stand.
This was Rashford’s first league begin since December and whereas he light, his direct working brought about issues. Alisson got here dashing exuberantly out of aim early within the second half however inadvertently offered Rashford with an opportunity to twist the ball into an empty web, an effort missing conviction however which required Konaté to clear. Jota went shut on the hour, clipping the highest of the crossbar from the sting of the Villa field however Liverpool levelled a minute later. Alexander-Arnold superior into some area on midway and after gathering the ball from Salah his thrashed shot flew into the underside nook by way of Mings, McGinn throwing himself to floor in useless. Then Liverpool went for the jugular.
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Robertson noticed a shot deflected vast on the again submit after magnificent, intricate footwork by Salah within the field and Jota despatched a header vast from an outstanding whipped Robertson cross. Then got here a uncommon second of respite, a double Liverpool substitution earlier than Emery made a triple change, with Rashford amongst these withdrawn. Slot despatched on Conor Bradley and Darwin Núñez and the pair nearly made an on the spot influence. Bradley slipped a via ball into Szoboszlai, who trickled the ball to his left for Núñez to complete, just for the Uruguay striker to sky his effort. Axel Disasi, the unheralded Chelsea loanee who loved a superb recreation at centre-back, maybe put him off however Núñez ought to have scored. On the touchline a surprised Slot hurriedly requested if Núñez was offside, presumably to make himself really feel higher. It was one other enormous wasted likelihood to file away with the remainder of them.
It was a fraught match now. Emery tapped his temples by the use of warning. Tielemans made a tough however truthful sort out on Salah on midway. Liverpool, too, needed to be alert, surviving a fright after the Villa substitute Jacob Ramsey rippled the online, just for VAR to verify he was offside. Rogers wellied over a shot deep into 5 minutes of stoppage time after which Malen went even nearer.
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