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Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
As the Reds fumble their way towards the finish line, we dig into the winners, losers and narratives on the night.
In a messy affair between a team with everything to play for and a team seemingly just waiting for this season to roll over into the next one, Liverpool fail to hold on to their lead, dropping two points in the final ten minutes against an Aston Villa side hellbent on securing Champions League participation for the first time in over 40 years.
The game began as it meant to go on, with a massive individual error gifting a goal, as Emiliano Martínez managed to bundle a deflected cross over the line and into the back of his own net. It never looked like lasting, however, as Unai Emery’s men were constantly able to bypass the press and run at defenders in space, and after a warning shot, Youri Tielemans picked his spot and equalised, as Ollie Watkins skinned an otherwise impressive Jarell Quansah down by the touchline and cut it back for the Belgian.
A pair of narrow onsides calls later, the Reds were back in the lead, as Cody Gakpo tapped home a Joe Gomez pass following a gorgeous, sweeping attack, and only minutes into the second half, Quansah popped up with a goal, looping a header in off the post after a Harvey Elliott set-piece.
The Villans kept pushing, running their tails off, winning duels and fouls at an astonishing rate against a Liverpool evidently content to see out the game at a canter, and just when it seemed as though they had run themselves out and the Reds were in control, Alexis Mac Allister gifted their hosts a way back with an abysmal touch just outside his own area.
Villa equalised minutes later in hilarious fashion, as another situation that saw Diaby run at a retreating backline ended with the Frenchman punting a thigh-high pass straight at Jhon Duran, who, quite accidentally, looped the ball into the back of the net as it bounced off him and past Alisson.
A stupid mess all-round. Here’s some winners and losers.
Winners
Villa: They played pretty well, fought tooth and nail back from a two-goal deficit, could and perhaps should have won, and are in the driver’s seat for a Champions League spot. Good for them.
2003: Harvey Elliott and Jarell Quansah were among the Reds’ top performers tonight, with Elliott being second last on the 1st and 3rd goal and Quansah scoring the latter, having put in an energetic shift in midfield and defense, respectively. The 21-year olds look set to be a big part of the club’s immediate and long-term future, and while this will be a summer of tearful departures and interesting arrivals, it is good to know that the club has a pair of lifelong fans ready to anchor one era to the next.
Losers
Athleticism: Andreas Kornmayer is leaving the club this summer, and whoever Arne Slot picks as his head of physical performance will have a job on his hands, as the Reds once again were outmuscled across the pitch to a terrifying degree, getting beaten on the dribble 17 times, as Villa constantly found ways to bounce off attempted challenges while maintaining control of the ball and streaming into the Liverpool half.
It’s been a trend going back to last season, and one that needs to be reversed if the Reds are to succeed in maintaining title charges in the coming years.
What Happens Next
The Reds host Wolves on Sunday, as they look to send Jürgen Klopp off in the right manner, before a summer of transition begins in earnest.
