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United States Aston Villa vs Liverpool live: score and latest updates from the Premier League
- Liverpool stay in second on goal difference, City have a game in hand
- Fabinho suffers first-half hamstring injury
- Matip cancels out Douglas Luiz's opener
- Mane earns victory with a fine header
The days are getting longer and the games are running out, but still Liverpool are clinging on to the edge of what remains a race for the Premier League title – tired, a little ragged and with another man down in their pursuit of Manchester City.
Whatever lies ahead now, through Saturday’s FA Cup final and the Champions League in Paris in 17 days’ time, it might have to be won or lost without Fabinho who felt something give way in the first half at Villa Park. He departed with the game level and Steven Gerrard watching with furrowed brow as his team threatened to inflict some serious damage on what remains of the title challenge from Liverpool.
Yet find a way Liverpool did, this time one of the last darts and twists down the left from the bottle of fizz that is Luis Diaz, crossing for Sadio Mane to angle his header away from anyone who might put glove or boot upon it. That was a classic Liverpool attack with the ball turned over swiftly and opponents in reverse but there was not much comfortable about the rest of it. As well as Gerrard, Philippe Coutinho and Danny Ings threatened to be the ghosts of Liverpool title challenges past coming back to scare what remains of this one for the club.
Ings, in particular, was never quite under the lock of the Liverpool defence and but for a careless offside or a heavy touch had his chances to score Villa’s second. Nevertheless, Klopp’s team departed Villa Park back level on 86 points with City who have their opportunity to restore the three-point margin away at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night. After that, both will have just two games left to play and the pressure will not relent.
These are the last tired days of the season and for Klopp’s players it felt less like gliding over the final hurdles and much more of a struggle. Their goalkeeper Alisson has come to the rescue so many times in recent months that he is so far in credit to require it totting up, but even so he delayed too long over a pass back from Fabinho in the 21st minute and then played it against the advancing Ollie Watkins.
Alisson recovered in that instant and got the ball to a team-mate’s feet but it was symbolic of the untidiness in the passing and the tiredness in Liverpool’s legs. Villa had scored within three minutes, a goal that Klopp will have cursed for the opportunity afforded to the home side to twice cross into the area from either flank. Watkins knocked Kostas Tsimikas and Joel Matip off their feet and with all three on the deck, Douglas Luiz won the first header and then scored the follow-up.
Gerrard had picked a Villa side to attack the game, with both his full-backs – Matty Cash and Lucas Digne – pushed up high and wide. There would be a chance for another Liverpool man, Danny Ings, with a near post header, and then another, Philippe Coutinho who only briefly flickered in the first half. The home crowd grew restless with referee Jon Moss’ decisions to give the small fouls to the away side. These are the last few games of Moss’ Premier League career and he may not miss evenings like these.
Liverpool equalised in the sixth minute, a bad misjudgement from Tyrone Mings of a nonetheless difficult ball in from Alexander-Arnold. Matip was the original Liverpool man on the spot and it came back to him via Diogo Jota and Virgil Van Dijk for a simple finish. Further chances came for Liverpool before the break, for Sadio Mane and then Naby Keita and neither of them looked very composed in the attempted finishes.
Klopp had tried to spread the load around his squad again – a start on the bench for Mohamed Salah, and Andy Robertson, substituted against Spurs on Saturday, was left out of the squad altogether. A bad moment then when one of those he judged too important to leave out, Fabinho, felt a tear somewhere around the midpoint of the half and could no longer continue. The loss of that great Brazilian midfield general, who can run a game in its most difficult moments, was indeed a blow to Klopp. Not just for this evening but for the two finals and the two league games to come.
Ings got stronger as the game went on, and he was at the heart of Villa’s best attacks. There was a run into the left channel on 69 minutes and then a right-footed touch that did not quite go where he wanted it as he tried to get the ball on his strong foot. He had created another chance for Watkins on 52 minutes and only a very sharp challenge from Tsimikas prevented the striker getting his shot away. Ings did finally beat Alisson with a ferocious hit from the right side, but he had strayed well offside for the run in behind.
The winning goal was a fine piece of Klopp era pressing, and Klopp era attacking. Villa had the ball for a harmless throw in on the right side when the game was paused for some treatment and perhaps concentration was lost. In front of their manager, Villa lost the ball from Cash’s throw. The substitute Thiago Alcantara won it and from Jota it went left to Diaz, immediately cutting in and asking all sorts of questions of Mings. The cross was so good that Mane had a beat to open his body and direct the ball out of the reach of Emilio Martinez.
In addition to Thiago, on for Curtis Jones, Klopp had also replaced Diaz with Salah. It went to the wire, with Van Dijk and Matip crucial in controlling the threat from Villa. There had been chances for Salah who departed straight down the tunnel at the end, but he had never quite been his best. How they will cope without Fabinho is the problem for four days’ time. They only just came through without him.
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On OffWe just concentrate on what we need to do. We've got another big game at the weekend, we've just got to focus on that. It's out of our control [the title]. We don't need to waste energy [on watching City's other games or speculating that they might be beaten] we just need to focus on the Cup final.
We knew it would be difficult, tough game, good team, good crowd. It's about digging in, finding a way to win. And the boys did that.
And we will have his match report here soon, but first we'll find out what Messrs Klopp and Gerrard, who embraced on the final whistle, have to say.
On balance Liverpool edged that, I think, though Villa created some very good chances, the referee seemed, how should we put this charitably, to have a unique perspective on a couple of incidents he decided in Liverpool's favour. Nonetheless, Mane's finish was worthy of champions/runners-up and their persistence paid off. Fabinho's injury could be hugely significant, not just for the FA Cup final on Saturday but the Champions League final against his old club a fortnight later.
Klopp is close to an eruption when Liverpool give the ball away but it matters not. The referee blows for time.
Martinez takes it, launching a long pass into the box that Van Dijk heads out, instigating a Mings v Keita ragging over the ball. Despite arms around the neck, the referee keeps his cards in his pocket.
Mane misjudges an attempt to win a corner by rebounding the ball of Cash's shins. It goes out for a goalkick instead, from which Mane concedes a free-kick just inside the Villa half.
Villa corner on the right. Buendia makes the near-post run, Douglas Luiz duly delivers but the substitute steers it over.
The announcer informs us that there will four minutes of stoppage time. Keita is currently on the floor having taken one 'amidships' as Brian Johnston discreetly called the most delicate region.
Klopp is going spare about the amount of space and possession a visibly tired Liverpool are ceding to Villa. The home fans want a penalty for a Van Dijk handball that was all chest and then Cash wellies a right-foot shot from just outside the area on the right over the bar, neglecting the chance to pass to Ings or Chukwuemeka who were in better positions.
Ings wallops a wonderful angled shot past Alisson from eight yards and the right of the area but knew he was offside when he received the pass and there was not a flicker of complaint on his face when the flag shot up.
Villa open up Liverpool between Matip and Tsimikas again, Ings driving purposefully down the channel, twisting this way and that, spinning Thiago before thumping an angled shot that Alisson claws away, managing to divert it past Chukwuemeka who was closing in for the tap-in.
Keita cuts his right foot across a half-volley from 20 yards and fades it to the right of the right post.
Watkins twisted his ankle in that exchange and needs to go off. On comes Bertrand Traore who was supposed to replace Ings.
Watkins wants a free-kick when he brings down Digne's long pass with his chest 20 yards out back to goal. Van Dijk is touch tight and seems to have his arm on him but Watkins went down as if violated by an octopus and the ref told him to get up, riling the crowd all over again.
Alexander-Arnold fires a long diagonal out to Jota on the left. He runs beyond Cash and pulls back a pass towards the penalty spot for Salah who hits a first-time shot that Konsa and Mings throw themselves towards to block successfully.
Mane lobs a volley from the right of the box over Martinez but Cash heads it out at the far post. It came from a throw-in, hurled to Salah who was given too much room by Digne.
Alexander-Arnold has a couple of bites at right-wing crosses. Digne gets the first one away, the second eludes everyone.
Salah almost scores with his first touch after scaring the pants off Konsa who recovered in the nick of time as they chased the ball down the Liverpool inside-right. Konsa ended up dealing with it effectively but it was a mightily close run thing as he slid ahead.
Buendia replaces Coutinho in Villa's second change, Salah comes on for Diaz in liverpool's third.
Here's Mane's goal:
"Mané does what Mané does best!" ????
Liverpool turn things around at Villa Park! pic.twitter.com/un417b3GKn
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 10, 2022
Danny Ings is set free down the inside-left, through one-on-one with Alisson who dares him to beat him and he can't, Alisson spreading himself like an unfurling Boa Constrictor to push the ball away from his stride before he can get his right-foot shot away with the best-timed dive possible. Nice pass from Watkins to beat Liverpool's offside trap.
Fantastic glancing header from 11 yards having had to adjust his body late to reach Diaz's left-wing cross that was slightly behind him. Fantastic, sweeping move, made by a central midfielder's left-foot pass round the corner to Diaz who roasted Cash. Think it was Thiago.
Villa 1-2 Liverpool (Mane)
Liverpool change: Thiago replaces Jones.
Villa substitution: Nakamba is replaced by Carney Chukwuemeka.
Villa fans cheer sarcastically when Jon Moss penalises Mane for a foul on Nakamba. Moss's imminent retirement can't come soon enough for the Holte End.
McGinn trips Mane. Liverpool free-kick, 25 yards out, left of centre, closer to the middle than the last. Alexander-Arnold goes for a Howitzer into the top right but gets no curl back in so the shot keeps heading wider and higher by the yard.
The start of this half has echoed the first, far more end-to-end than the finale. Ings does well down the inside-right, first to control the ball, then shield it and wait for Watkins' support run down the outside. He lays it off perfectly but Watkins first touch is too heavy and Tsimikas steals it away. Great defending by the stand-in left-back.
A series of hairy moments for Villa in their box, a misunderstanding between Cash and Martinez who was coming to claim a cross, Nakamba losing possession, an awkward block by Konsa. All's well that ends well, though, and they get away with it.
Coutinho beats Van Dijk, the man whose signing his sale funded, and heads towards the box from the Villa right. But he dawdles before shooting, trying to work a better angle and slips after feinting inside and darting out. Van Dijk recovers to strip the ball back off him.
Alexander-Arnold takes, aiming for the top left but bends it inches too far and brushes the outside of the side-netting. The Liverpool fans thought it was closer than it was.
Jones goes on a slalom run up the inside-left, loses control slightly and Konsa slides in, misses the ball, and upends him. Free-kick. Daft challenge. It's 25 yards out, left of centre. Alexander-Arnold stands over it.
Villa kick off but knock it too far up the inside-left for Ings to chase and Alisson pick it off.
EA Sports blows full-time whistle on its Fifa football video game.
One more year for Derek Ray. The end of days.
Apologies for calling Digne Targett once in the first-half. My fingers are four months behind my head. Or vice versa.
Very lively game. Villa certainly caught Liverpool cold/on the hop/napping in the first 20 minutes, upsetting their normal composure by attacking the space behind their high line, timing the runs and nailing a few diagonal chips, though the one they profited from, a couple of phases before scoring, should have been stopped for being offside before they had a chance to take the lead.
Liverpool were only behind for a couple of minutes but equalising did not alter the momentum of this topsy-turvy game for half an hour. The last 15 minutes, however, helped by some curious decision by Jon Moss, has been dominated by Liverpool who should have taken the lead when Alexander-Arnold put a chance on a plate for Keita.
Alexander-Arnold takes it, hard and flat to the back post. Jota wins the header and nods it back across goal but just too high for Mane's well-timed jump.
The referee blows his whistle for half-time before the ball crosses the byline.
Matip goes on one of his coltish runs, breaks the defensive line and helps earn a corner when Digne blocks the cross with his goolies. Down he goes, understandably, and there's a delay before Alexander-Arnold can take the corner.
The second of three minutes of stoppage time start with Liverpool now in control, sweeping passes around and stretching the pitch. Whether it is Henderson's influence or Villa have run out of gas, it's hard to say at this point.
Luis Diaz is out on the left now, Mane central and Jota on the right. Jones finds some space in the inside-left channel and shoots with his right instep, getting too far under it and clearing the bar.
Diaz spins Digne's blood down by the right corner flag but then passes straight to a Villa defender who moves it into midfield. Nakamba tries a square pass, blind, and Jones nips in to pick it off and shoot from 20 yards. Martinez dives to his left to save comfortably - nice height and far too central.
Lucas Digne catches Luis Diaz in the jaw when he goes up for a header, arms splayed out. No foul and Diaz, who seemed vexed, shakes an offered hand following minor treatment.
The crowd is livid that Moss penalises Nakamba and seconds later awards a free-kick to Liverpool that should have gone Villa's way.
Alexander-Arnold wheedles inside and outside Digne before squaring the ball towards the penalty spot. All Keita has to do is swivel and put his right foot through it but the ball arrives quicker than he anticipated and hits his standing leg a split-second first and then his right. In short he makes a hash of it, Villa fans unite in shouting 'Aaaaaah!' and Mings hacks it away.
Coutinho shows his class by hooking a throw-in over Alexander-Arnold's head, plays a one-two with Ings down the left, cuts inside and rifles a shot that whistles over the bar from 22 yards.
Mane taps the ball past Martinez and rolls it into the net after a pass from Diaz who had been a yard offside.
Henderson comes on and is given the armband by Virgil van Dijk. His first touch is to lose a block-tackle with Nakamba but Tsimikas wins it back after fouling Douglas Luiz and Liverpool attack down the right. Aston Villa fans boo until the move fizzles out with an over-hit cross and then inform Jon Moss 'you're not fit to referee'.
Liverpool substitution: Henderson will replace Fabinho (once he puts his shirt on). Meanwhile Liverpool resume with 10 men.
Coutinho strips Fabinho of the ball and bustles forward, overhitting his pass to Ings who had made a good run down the inside-left.
Ah, that explains it. Fabinho's hamstring has gone. Down he goes and he is going to be withdrawn.
Liverpool's high line is definitely being exploited by Villa. Fabinho, magnificent for three seasons, is making error after error, giving the ball away multiple times and resorting to cynical/professional/tactical fouls to save face.
Ings misses a golden chance, heading over from 10 yards when rising to meet McGinn's perfect cross with Alisson stranded. Rare to see Liverpool so ragged at the back.
Alisson has a couple of anxious moments when trying overly ambitious short passes. The second time is not so hairy and Matip bails him out but the first, from five yards out of his area, goes straight to Watkins who fails to trap it properly and lets the keeper off the hook. Had he controlled it, Watkins would have had an open goal.
The upside of Tsimikas is an optimistic spirit and drive. Beating Cash, he fizzes over a wonderful cross that Mane leaps to meet, easily beating the far taller Mings and steers it a lick of paint past the left post.
Both managers are on their feet, as if they can barely believe their eyes at how open this game is.
The whipped, inswinging free-kick incites panic in the Villa penalty area but they scramble it away. Mings and Konsa are very capable defenders most of the time but both have a bombscare quality about them.
Madness from Konsa as he chased Jota out towards the right corner flag, shepherding him all the way until he decides to shove him in the small of the back, conceding a free-kick near the quadrant.
Better from Liverpool who zip a few passes around between Jones, Fabinho, Keita and the full-backs. Villa fans want a free-kick for a Fabinho collision with Ings but Ings just gets straight back up, perhaps in deference to his former club.
Liverpool's defence looks strangely vulnerable but it's because their midfield cannot get a grip and Villa are targeting the space behind the full-backs with diagonal chips.
Cross in from the right is plucked out of the air by Alisson but Tsimikas is all over the place and within a minute Villa open that side up again with Cash and Coutinho combining and Cash sends over a bespoke cross that Ings should have anticipated but didn't. Van Dijk is trying to urge his defensive colleagues to concentrate.
Frantic start. End to end.
Watkins was offside when he had the shot in a phase which ended with Villa scoring.
What a response from Liverpool!
Joël Matip pokes the ball home and what a start we've had here at Villa Park! ???? pic.twitter.com/gE2Y4vnp9b
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 10, 2022
Terrible defending by Villa who fail to clear their lines a number of times, Mings and Nakamba most culpable defending the free-kick. Van Dijk shoots, Martinez saves and Matip follows his centre-back partner's shot in and bags the rebound.
ASTON VILLA LEAD! ????
Douglas Luiz slams the ball home from close range and what a goal this could be in the race for the title! pic.twitter.com/JSozF374ZS
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 10, 2022
VAR was checking but it is confirmed.
Villa 1-1 Liverpool (Matip)
Liverpool fall asleep on the right of their defence, Watkins cuts inside and thumps a shot that draws a smart save from Alisson. The ball ricochets out to the Villa right, Liverpool make a mess of defending the cross as it flew across the 18-yard line. Digne arcs the ball back in from the left to the back post. Tsimikas collides with Matip allowing Douglas Luiz to win the header, Alisson parries it straight back to him and he scoops it into the net.
Villa 1-0 Liverpool (Douglas Luiz)
Allez, allez, allez resounds around Villa Park as Liverpool work the ball out from the back after Martinez had hoofed his clearance out for a Liverpool throw. Douglas Luiz and Nakamba close down Fabinho and Jones as they try to move it forward.
Jurgen Klopp may have ditched the specs but not the broad smile with those impressive gnashers. The players take a knee and Liverpool kick-off, attacking the Holte End and put the ball out for a throw-in which Cash takes and switches to the left. Villa play it around the back four, rolling it back to Martinez when Liverpool spring the press.
Villa are heading out to Hi Ho Silver Lining as per these days. I'm sure it used to be Will Rock You in the Nineties but I might be wrong. Or Fanfare for the Common Man, like it was 1979.
It'll be a full house, the crowd will be with us and behind us, it's up to us to put on a performance.
Coutinho was rested against Burnley with a view to starting tonight.
It took a penalty for Liverpool to beat us [1-0 in December] , I'd like an improvement tonight. When the moments come I'd like us to be brave and bold and take one.
The night of the game it was not cool but from the next day it was a normal mindset. It is worth fighting and that is what we will show tonight. Making sure we put enough effort in, enjoy the challenge, we did that all the time, let's keep going from here.
[On the five changes]: We cannot push players through all the time, we have the quality so that's why we use it.
Klopp understood he gained one point, not lost two. Jurgen is an intelligent person, very clever. He was a bit frustrated after the game but at the same time I think for us top coaches, and every coach, it is important to learn to be focused on your team, not your opponent.
If you are focused on your opponent it means you want to find an excuse or an alibi because your job did not work or something was wrong.
You can read his full remarks here.
Marvelous Nakamba makes his first start since limping off during the defeat at Anfield in December, replacing Calum Chambers, while Emi Buendia must feel pretty hard done by following his man-of-the-match performance at Turf Moor to make way for Philippe Coutinho.
Klopp rests five players for the FA Cup final: Joel Matip, Kostas Tsimikas, Naby Keita, Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota come in for Ibrahima Konate, Andy Robertson, Thiago Alcantara, Jordan Henderson and Mohamed Salah.
Roberto Firmino is still missing from the XI, too, despite the positive vibes from Mr Klopp yesterday.
Aston VillaMartinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Nakamba; McGinn, Douglas Luiz; Coutinho; Watkins, Ings.Substitutes Olsen, Chambers, Chrisene, A Young, Iroegbunam, Sanson, Carney Chukwuemeka, Buendia, Traore.
Liverpool Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Tsimikas; Keita, Fabinho, Jones; Jota, Mane, Diaz.Substitutes Kelleher, Konate, Thiago, Milner, Firmino, Salah, Henderson, Gomez, Origi.
Referee Jon Moss (Horsforth).
This is your Aston Villa team to face Liverpool tonight. ???? #AVLLIV pic.twitter.com/T7qsXidNov
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 10, 2022
???? ???????????????? ????????????????
Tonight’s line-up to face @AVFCOfficial ???? #AVLLIV
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 10, 2022
Back In 2010, during Gérard Houllier's short spell as Aston Villa manager, he took his side to Anfield before Christmas. The whole build-up focused on has focused on the perceived lack of recognition he has enjoyed for his six-year stint, in marked contrast to Rafa Benitez, and obsessed over the kind of reception the Kop would give him.
On arrival at his old place of work, Sky showed him greeting old friends and familiar faces, captured him touching the 'This is Anfield' sign and went in for the close-up when he walked out, chuffed to be cheered to the rafters, moved by the enduring affection of the crowd for someone who was as besotted with the club as he had always been. Villa barely got a look-in.
A lot of journalism is still like that, prioritising old loyalties above professional responsibility. So it was refreshing to hear Steven Gerrard not fall for all that old tosh about his divided heart which seduced Houllier and was, understandably, a major plank in the souring of his relationship with Villa fans.
They did try to lure him on to the rocks, though, bless them, but he would not play ball. "My job's to win games for Aston Villa," he said. "And that will always be the case while I'm representing this club or whatever club I am representing, I want to win fiercely. If you're wanting headlines that 'Steven Gerrard says he's going to stop Liverpool's title hopes', I'm not going to there for you."
Having quick-stepped elegantly around that elephant trap, Gerrard did go on to praise the Champions League finalists and title-chasers, whose draw with Spurs on Saturday night has left them three points behind Manchester City with three games each left and needing to win by four goals to go level on points and goal difference and regain top spot on goals scored.
"I think to watch they are probably the best [Liverpool team he has seen], because of the speed, the intensity and the mentality of this current group,” Gerrard said. "I’m well aware that they have had world-class players, managers and teams previously, but I think to watch – on the eye, because of the way the game has changed, it has gone quicker and faster – I think you’re probably watching the best Liverpool team there’s been.”
At his press conference, Jürgen Klopp was asked if he had told his players the title race was over, as per some reports. "I'm not sure I said that because I think it's obvious. It's clear it is not over, whatever happened," Klopp said.
"We have three games to play and my concern is how we can win our three games and I have no say in how City can win theirs. We don't stop believing, that's what we do.
"As human beings it's really cool that we can decide for ourselves how we see it. There are facts but we are allowed to ignore them. I try to help the boys see [the situation] like me."
As for the groin strain front, Villa's absentees are Jacob Ramsey (groin), Kortney Hause (abdominal strain) and Leon Bailey (ankle). Bobby Firmino is back "on the grass" and available for Liverpool as is the rest of the first-team squad but with Saturday's FA Cup final looming, Klopp may well rest his full-backs, his captain and, it has been hazarded, Sadio Mané.
Kick-off in B6 , where this fixture, let us not forget, ended with the then champions beaten 7-2 last season (and that was before Virgil van Dijk's injury) is at 8pm; join us for the team news from 7pm.
