Substitute Jhon Duran struck a dramatic late double as Aston Villa edged a step closer to securing UEFA Champions League football next season by hitting back from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 with Liverpool at Villa Park.
The visiting Merseysiders were gifted an early advantage when Emiliano Martinez contrived to fumble Harvey Elliott’s deflected cross into his own net on two minutes.
Villa equalised against the run of play 10 minutes later when Ollie Watkins teed up Youri Tielemans before Cody Gakpo gobbled up a rebound to restore Liverpool’s lead on 23 minutes.
It was in keeping with an end-to-end contest and the only surprise was that there were no further goals prior to the interval, with Diego Carlos going close to a second for Villa with what must go down as the miss of the season.
Liverpool added a third within three minutes of the restart when Jarell Quansah crashed home a header to snare his first ever Premier League goal.
Unai Emery’s men continued to create openings but looked to be heading towards defeat until Duran netted twice in the last five minutes to somehow snare a share of the spoils.
The result means fourth-placed Villa are now five points clear of Spurs with a game to play. The Lilywhites – in fifth – have two matches left but need to win at home to title-chasing Manchester City on Tuesday night to take the race for the final Champions League berth to the last day of the season.
Villa will end the campaign with a tricky trip to Crystal Palace on Sunday while Jurgen Klopp’s men, who will finish third, bring down the curtain on his tenure as Liverpool boss at home to Wolves.
Talking Point – Villa don’t get the win to guarantee it but UEFA Champions League football is tantalisingly close
Villa were hoping to rebound and soften the blow of their UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final exit last week by securing fourth spot in the Premier League against a Liverpool side with nothing to play for in terms of an actual target.
It didn’t quite go to plan, but the late rescue act from ‘Duran, Duran’ in front of the watching Hollywood heavyweight Tom Hanks means it would take an unlikely plot twist right at the death of this campaign to deny The Villans a top-four finish for the first time since 1995-96.
The Villans will now wait on Tottenham’s home match with Man City knowing that anything other than a win for Ange Postecoglou’s men will confirm their spot in Europe’s Premier competition for the 2024-25 season.
Player of the match
Jhon Duran(Aston Villa). The term ‘super sub’ was coined for such an intervention as he rose off the bench 11 minutes from time and then notched a double in the last five minutes to drag his team level and leave all the pressure on Tottenham in the hunt for forth spot.
Player Ratings
ASTON VILLA: Martinez 6, Konsa 6, Carlos 5, Torres 6, Digne 5, McGinn 7, Luiz 6, Tielemans 7, Bailey 7, Diaby 7, Watkins 7. Subs: Zaniolo n/a, Duran 8, Chambers 6.
LIVERPOOL: Alisson 6, Alexander-Arnold 6, Gomez 5, Quansah 6, Van Dijk 6, Endo 6, Elliott 6, Mac Allister 5, Salah 6, Gakpo 7, Diaz 6. Subs: Jones 5, Gravenberch 5, Nunez 6, Szoboszlai 5.
Match Highlights
02’ – GOAL! – Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool: (Martinez own goal) It’s a horror show for Martinez. Elliott drives forward, plays a one-two with Salah and then watches on in delight as his deflected cross is fumbled into his own net by the Villa keeper.
12’ – GOAL! – Aston Villa 1-1 Liverpool: (Tielemans) The hosts steal level against the run of play! A brilliant run down the left takes Watkins to the byline where he shows great awareness to cut it back for Tielemans to rifle home from just inside the area.
23’ – GOAL! – Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool: (Gakpo) The visitors are back in front. Diaz feeds Gomez on the overlap and when his low, cross-shot is parried by Martinez, Gakpo is there to bundle home from close range.
36’ – ASTON VILLA CHANCE! Bailey is allowed to burst to the right byline and cut it across the six-yard box for Diego Carlo, who somehow jabs wide on the slide with the goal gaping. Watkins was stood just behind him. Both had a tap-in, but neither could apply the finish! Huge let off for Liverpool.
48’ – GOAL! – Aston Villa 1-3 Liverpool: (Quansah) It’s a superb goal from the centre back as he leaps ahead of Digne at the back post to thump a header into the far corner from a free kick on the left.
85’ – GOAL! – Aston Villa 2-3 Liverpool: (Duran) Jhon Duran drills a lovely strike into the bottom corner from 20 yards after a poor error by Mac Allister gifted the ball to Villa deep in Liverpool territory.
88’ – GOAL! – Aston Villa 3-3 Liverpool: (Duran) It’s all square! What a sensational turnaround! Duran tries to race after a pass and inadvertently deflects it beyond Alisson with his first touch! He didn’t know much about it as it flew off his knee, but he won’t care!