LIVERPOOL kept their quadruple hopes alive with a huge win over Villa – leaving Man City with very little room for error.
The Reds fell behind to an early Douglas Luiz strike before two well-taken efforts from Joel Matip and Sadio Mane turned the game on its head.
Which has meant that Jurgen Klopp’s men go level on points with league leaders Manchester City.
But goal difference has kept the blue-machine at the top of the Premier League pile.
- RESULT: Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
- TV/ live stream: Sky Sports Main Event and Premier League
- Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; McGinn, Nakamba, Douglas Luiz; Coutinho; Ings, Watkins
- Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Fabinho, Keita, Jones; Diaz, Jota, Mane
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This means more
You could see with the reaction from everyone from players to manager to coaches how important this win was to all.
All Jurgen Klopp and his team can do is win their games and see what happens.
Go make a name for yourself
Liverpool have four games remaining in all competitions this season.
If they win all four, they will definitely win three trophies as a minimum with only the Premier League being where they require others to do them some favours.
Any manager or player would take your arm off if offered this at the beginning of the season.
If anyone is capable of this, surely it is Klopp and his band of men.
The young pretender shows his worth
Watching the two managers on the touchline today, you can see a lot of Jurgen Klopp traits within Steven Gerrard.
The passion, the control, the need to convey his message to his players on the pitch throughout the game.
Both managers sprinted to their changing rooms at half time also.
Despite the defeat tonight, Gerrard and his Villa team have learned a lot about themselves this evening.
It’s the final countdown
Liverpool go level with Man City at the top of the table on 86 points.
With a game in hand, Pep Guardiola’s City travel to Wolves tomorrow.
The Premier League has a knack of throwing up the most dramatic ends to the season and who would we be to expect any different this season.
One thing we have learnt from it, anything can happen!
FT: Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
The referee blows the final whistle much to the delight of Klopp.
Liverpool needed all three points today and they duly delivered.
Like a tennis match between two greats, Liverpool return the ball to the baseline with power, over to Man City to see how they react.
Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
90+3. Things are getting a bit heated in the final moments.
Liverpool are looking to play the clock while Villa try to rush their opponents.
‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ rings out from the away end.
Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
90+1. Keita is receiving some treatment, running the clock down.
Sadio Mane has been awarded the man of the match award.
Liverpool need to make sure that his goal is a winning one.
Ings almost getting a sight of goal again before van Dijk clears for a corner.
Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
90. Whether Liverpool have done enough to make this less of a contest today, you cannot fault the efforts of Gerrard’s side.
They have asked questions of Klopp’s defensive line and created chances.
We are going to have 4 minutes of time added on.
Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
88. Ings is causing his old employers a lot of problems in these closing stages.
He still looks full of running with the clock ticking down.
van Dijk and Matip are having their work cut out in keeping the England forward away from Alisson’s goal.
Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
86. Danny Ings has the ball in the back of the net with a sublime half-volley from a tight angle beating Alisson.
Matip stepped up just at the right time as the replay shows Ings is a couple of yards offside.
Still, what a finish!
Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
84. Cash does well down the right for Villa.
He feeds Ings who does brilliantly amongst a sea of Liverpool defenders to find space to force a save from Alisson.
Chukwuemeka is inches away from getting to the ball.
Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
82. Traore looks set to replace Watkins who seems a bit leggy.
van Dijk has marshalled the Villa striker well today.
Gerrard will feel they have gone toe-to-toe with Klopp’s side today.
Mane plays a cheeky flick to Tsimikas but the full back’s cross is blocked for a Liverpool corner.
Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
80. You cannot help but think as it stands Liverpool are open to the classic sucker-punch.
It all it takes is one moment of brilliance and the title charge is over.
City still have to drop points but Liverpool need to put pressure on them to get those points.
Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
78. The corner is swung in and Matip manages to get his head to it.
Martinez has no issue in saving the effort.
Alexander-Arnold plays it into Jota with a great pass.
He takes it on his chest and feeds Salah whose shot is blocked.
Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
76. Liverpool are pressing even higher with their fresh legs.
Mings gets himself into trouble in his own box and has to hack the ball away for a Liverpool throw in.
Mane plays the ball to the back post and almost scores as Cash manages to head it clear.
Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
74. Jurgen Klopp will be demanding his side put this to bed.
They are dominating possession in this period of play.
Thiago is switching play from one flank to the other.
Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
72. Salah had a chance immediately after coming on.
The ball is played into space in front of him and he has a footrace with the defender.
Salah’s first touch is poor and the chance evades him.
Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
70. Buendia comes on for Coutinho.
Gerrard hoping the fresh legs can cause Liverpool problems.
Diaz comes off for Mohamed Salah.
Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
68. Stick or twist time for Liverpool.
They just want the three points but it can lead to a nervy finish if they sit back and invite Villa onto them.
Danny Ings is threaded through and not for the first time, Alisson smothers the ball and prevents the Aston Villa striker.
Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
66. Diaz does brilliantly down the left.
He clips a cross on the outside of his right boot at pace.
Mane heads it into the back of the net.
That could be a massive goal in Liverpool’s season.
Goal – Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
Aston Villa 1-1 Liverpool
64. It is Curtis Jones who bows out for the oncoming Thiago.
Still no Mohamed Salah to try and find that winning goal yet.
If Thiago can start pulling the strings in the centre and open up the Villa back line, Klopp will be hoping he will not have to use his ‘Egyptian King’ this evening.
Aston Villa 1-1 Liverpool
62. Chukwuemeka comes on for Nakamba.
Liverpool look set to bring Thiago on for some creativity.
He is receiving his instructions on the bench still at the moment.
Aston Villa 1-1 Liverpool
60. Cash puts a good searching cross in from the right.
He is looking for Watkins in the centre.
Matip manages to read it and clear.
Aston Villa 1-1 Liverpool
58. The longer this game goes on the more it seems it could well be decided by just one more goal.
Villa are trying to probe but are all too often missing that final pass.
Either that or a poor touch allows Liverpool to steal in.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
