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Despite not winning on the night, Liverpool maintained their unbeaten away record in the Premier League, but a draw against Aston Villa felt like a missed opportunity. The Reds had taken the lead through Mohammed Salah, but Villa fought back with goals from Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s equalizer ensured Liverpool took a point, but the result will be a frustration given the chances they squandered.
The match being a captivating, back-and-forth contest, with both sides creating numerous scoring opportunities. Liverpool started brightly, with Virgil van Dijk and Diogo Jota both going close. Van Dijk walloped a shot over the bar after collecting Alexander-Arnold’s improvised outside-of-the-boot pass, while Jota’s effort was blocked by Tyrone Mings.
Meanwhile, Villa gradually gained momentum, and Marcus Rashford’s pace caused problems for the Liverpool defense. Rashford, making his first start for Villa since joining on loan from Manchester United, had a goal disallowed for offside in the first half. The Englishman’s low cross cannoned off a Liverpool defender into the back of Alisson’s net, but replays showed Rashford strayed offside before collecting Marco Asensio’s return.
Villa took the lead through Tielemans’ volley, and Watkins added a second in first half stoppage time. Watkins kickstarted the move himself, spreading play and drifting into the box unmarked to spook Van Dijk and head in a Lucas Digne cross.
Liverpool pushed hard for an equalizer in the second half, and Alexander-Arnold’s shot flew into the bottom corner via Mings. The Reds then went for the jugular, with Andy Robertson and Jota both going close. Robertson saw a shot deflected wide at the back post after magnificent, intricate footwork by Salah in the box, while Jota sent a header wide from a superb whipped Robertson cross.
However, Villa held firm, and the match ended in a draw. The result will be a disappointment for Liverpool, who missed the chance to get maximum points and extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table. For Villa, the point will sure be a boost in their quest for European qualification.
Liverpool’s draw will give encouragement to Arsenal, who are eight points behind the leaders with a game in hand. The Gunners will see this result as an opportunity to close the gap, and the pressure will be on Liverpool to respond in their next game against Manchester City on Sunday.
