In what could become a tight title race, a draw away at Villa Park may well be seen as a point gained. However, Liverpool have now lost the lead in consecutive away league games and Darwin Nunez will not want to be reminded of another glaring miss that would have surely secured his side all three points, in a game that finished 2-2.
It was Mo Salah (who else) that put the league leaders ahead, it somehow taking almost 30 minutes for the opening goal to arrive despite the opportunities that both teams created. Diogo Jota, redeeming himself with an assist after Villa gave the ball away in their own half. Yet, before half-time Liverpool were behind. First Teilemans scoring from close range from a Rashford free-kick, after Szoboszlai failed to head the ball far enough from danger. Perhaps, had Alisson come off his line to try and claim the ball, the danger could have been averted, but it was a smart finish. Watkins then put the home side in front, after Liverpool didn’t do enough to stop the cross that the England striker glanced into the net with a deft header.
Arne Slot looked on perplexed from the sidelines, especially after seeing Jota blast wide straight from the kick-off after Villa’s equaliser. He’d surely also have been concerned at just how much space John McGinn was getting in midfield. Time after time, the combative Scottish midfielder saw off both Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai far too easily when running at Liverpool’s back four. Only Alexis Mac Allister, in a four-man midfield after Luis Diaz was rested from the starting eleven, was able to really offer the robustness required.
Coming out on the front foot in the second half, it was Trent Alexander-Arnold who got Liverpool back into the game, assisted by Salah. Receiving the ball back in the Villa penalty box, his shot deflected past Martinez and yet, with Liverpool having the momentum, Slot, perhaps on medical advice, withdrew both the English full-back and Jota, who’d moments earlier struck the bar but still looks rusty after his injury lay off.
It was Conor Bradley and Darwin Nunez who’d been the replacements, and the Uruguayan soon had a glorious chance to put his team back in front. Szoboszlai, clean through on goal, should probably of taken on Martinez one-on-one, but chose to pass to Nunez. Sliding in at the back post, an empty net beckoning, the ball sailed high over the box. Yes, he was under pressure with a Villa defender in close contact, but he knows, as surely his team mates do, that he should have scored. He had a further half chance, as both teams continued to play a high line, as a well-contested game entered the final moments, but was this time thwarted by an advancing Martinez.
Five minutes of injury time gave both teams time to win it, though it was Villa who came closest. With less than a minute remaining, a shot whistled past Alisson’s far post. Slot expressed his disappointment at the result, believing his team deserved more, though a draw was probably a fair result.
Liverpool go to City next, though not until Sunday. Arsenal having the chance to cut the points gap to five over the league leaders, when they face a struggling West Ham at the Emirates on Saturday. Another round of midweek fixtures then follow, but this time next week, the Gunners will have a game in hand. This title race has some way to run yet and no doubt plenty of twists and turns to come.
