Aston Villa 2-2 Liverpool: Points shared in entertaining draw

Liverpool struggled to another 2-2 away draw, dropping two points against Aston Villa but moving to eight points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Aston Villa 2-2 Liverpool

Premier League (26) | Villa Park
February 19, 2025

Goals

Salah 29′ (assist: Jota)
Tielemans 38′
Watkins 45+3′
Alexander-Arnold 61′ (assist: Salah)

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Team News

Arne Slot made just one change, that being Curtis Jones coming in for Luis Diaz in what proved to be a straight swap and not, as many had expected, Dominik Szoboszlai on the left.

With this the third of five league games in 15 days, more changes may have been expected.

First half

The Reds began very much on the front foot, with the best chances falling to Virgil van Dijk and Diogo Jota – the latter having a free header that he couldn’t direct on target.

The opening goal arrived just before the half hour when Villa tried playing out from the back again and it ended with Mo Salah netting his 24th league goal of the season.

Good pressure from Jones allowed Jota to set up Salah six yards out and the Egyptian fired home.

Villa, though, equalised ten minutes later when a set piece ended with Tielemans finishing after Szoboszlai had made an awful headed clearance that didn’t need making.

Immediately from the re-start Jota had a huge chance in on goal but his shot went nearer the corner flag.

It got worse on the stroke of half time when Ollie Watkins headed the home side into the lead. Liverpool standing off too much and giving the home side too much time and space.

Half time: Aston Villa 2-1 Liverpool

Second half

Liverpool came close to getting back level when Jota hit the top of the bar on the hour, then Alexander-Arnold made it 2-2 when his shot from the edge of the box deflected past Emi Martinez.

Slot replaced Alexander-Arnold and Jota, both recently returning from injuries and therefore their minutes being managed, with Conor Bradley and Darwin Nunez entering what had become a quite open game.

Bradley put in Szoboszlai, who played it across for Nunez but the Uruguayan fired over an open goal seven yards out.

Alisson made a good stop to deny Donyell Malen, before Martinez raced out to deny Nunez at the other end. Nunez ruined another attack soon after when Liverpool broke with Salah and Szoboszlai alongside him.

It was Villa who pushed for the winner late on, Morgan Rogers firing a good chance over and Malen almost winning it at the death.

Arsenal now have a game in hand in the title race and a win there would put them five points behind Liverpool.

Next up is the small matter of a trip to the Etihad to play Man City on Sunday.

TIA Man of the Match: Mo Salah

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Referee: Craig Pawson

Aston Villa: Aston Villa: Martinez; Garcia, Mings, Disasi, Digne; McGinn, Tielemans; Rogers, Asensio, Rashford; Watkins

Subs: Zych, Olsen, Maatsen, Bogarde, Cash, Malen, Ramsey, Jimoh

Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold (Bradley 66′, Quansah 88′), Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones, Mac Allister (Diaz 81′); Salah, Szoboszlai, Jota (Nunez 66′)

Subs not used: Kelleher, Tsimikas, Endo, Elliott, Chiesa, Diaz

Next Match: Man City (away, Sunday 23 February)