Aston Villa 2-2 Liverpool: League leaders fail to extend lead at top to ten points

Liverpool squandered the chance to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to 10 points as they had to come from behind to avoid defeat against Aston Villa on Wednesday evening.

In a scintillating encounter at Villa Park, Mohamed Salah gave the league leaders an early lead before goals from Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins before the break turned the tie on its head.

Trent Alexander-Arnold levelled things shortly after the hour mark as Arne Slot’s team had to settle for a point.

The result leaves the Reds eight points clear of second-placed Arsenal, while Unai Emery’s men, who have not lost at home in the Premier League since August, remain in ninth.

A hard-earned point at Villa Park 🤝 pic.twitter.com/METGcmjvf8

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) February 19, 2025

How the action unfolded

A new, retro-tinged Nike ball was being used for the first time, but it was a familiar story in the early stages as the league leaders began strongly.

Virgil van Dijk blasted over from a tight angle after a neat set-piece move on three minutes while Diogo Jota stabbing wide from an Andy Robertson cut-back.

Moments later Jota then headed wide when the Portuguese international should have perhaps done a lot better.

But on 18-minutes, Villa had the ball in the net. A neat one-two between Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio – both making their full debuts – culminated in a driven cross that was turned in by Ollie Watkins but the offside flag was swiftly raised.

On the half-hour mark, Andres Garcia gifted Liverpool a chance when the Villa man played in Jota while under pressure from Curtis Jones. Jota unselfishly squared to Salah who fired into the roof of the net.

Ten minutes later, however, Villa were level. Rashford again proved influential as his ball in eventually fell to Tielemans and the Belgian sent his shot beyond Alisson.

The host’s tails were up and, buoyed by a jubilant Villa Park crowd, completed the comeback in first-half stoppage time. The ball was worked out wide to Lucas Digne who whipped in a teasing cross from the left for Watkins to head home.

Villa Park erupts as Ollie Watkins puts the home side ahead just before half-time 🦁

📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/NDvoaKZFVt

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 19, 2025

The Liverpool players were sent out early before the restart, with Slot’s side looking to wrestle the tie back in their favour.

And shortly after the hour mark, they were level – albeit with a slice of good fortune – when Alexander-Arnold’s shot wrong footed Emi Martinez via a deflection off Tyrone Mings’ leg.

It was shaping up to be a Premier League classic. The Reds should have taken the lead when substitute Darwin Nunez blasted over with the goal at his mercy: a chance that left Slot with his head in his hands.

Darwin Nunez misses a golden opportunity to put Liverpool ahead 😬

📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/8f0rFedPHs

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 19, 2025

Minutes later, Donyell Malen, also on as a substitute for Villa, could have put the visitors in front but Alisson was equal to it.

Emery’s side then had a second goal disallowed after Jacob Ramsey found the net but again the flag was quickly raised.

Malen again had a chance right at the death but, in the end, the points remained shared.