Has a draw ever been celebrated quite like this before at Villa Park? It was bedlam inside this historic ground as Aston Villa edged towards a first appearance in Europe’s premier competition in 42 years with a dramatic salvo.
Villa’s hopes of securing anything from this game with Liverpool looked remote with just five minutes of regulation time remaining. They trailed 3-1 and the vast majority of the home crowd had reluctantly sided with the idea that work was still to be done if a top-four spot was to be theirs.
But Unai Emery had his substitution, Jhon Duran, to thank for scoring two quick-fire goals to salvage a precious point, taking Villa five points clear of Tottenham Hotspur and within touching distance of that gilded prize.
Should Spurs drop points either in their game in hand against Manchester City on Tuesday, or when they face Sheffield United on the final day of the season, Villa know they will clinch a place in the top four for only the third time in the Premier League era.
The celebrations at the final whistle were all the more whole-hearted given their stirring comeback. Villa showed belief when it appeared fatigue was coming to the fore.
A fourth consecutive league defeat was mere minutes away but for Duran’s shot into the bottom corner and then him directing Moussa Diaby’s through-ball beyond Alisson. Not even Hollywood actor and Villa fan, Tom Hanks, who was watching on from the stands, could have scripted it.
He had been on the pitch before kick-off, geeing up the crowd who may have been a little despondent following Villa’s elimination from the Europa Conference League to Olympiacos in midweek.
Though if anything was going to get Villa up for their 55th, and penultimate, game of a tiring season, then it was the chance of taking another step towards a first top-four finish since 1996.
Story of the game
It did not go to plan from the off, however. Emiliano Martinez, one of Villa’s best players this season, made an uncharacteristic error with only 64 seconds played. Harvey Elliott progressed down the inside right channel before playing a pass to Mohamed Salah and receiving his team-mate’s return.
Elliott’s cross into the Villa area took a slight knick off Pau Torres but, still, the goalkeeper appeared to have a strong enough grasp of the ball. Yet he fumbled it into his own net, much to the bemusement of the Holte End behind him.
Liverpool tried to build on their fortuitous lead. Salah glided past a statuesque Lucas Digne but his shot also caught Torres and went wide of the far post. Digne was caught by another Liverpool move and the Villa full-back was only saved by the raising of the offside flag.
It had been a nervy start from Villa but they summoned enough to be level by the 12th minute. John McGinn released Ollie Watkins down the left and the forward advanced beyond Jarell Qunsah. A pull-back picked out Youri Tielemans and the Belgian midfielder fired a shot past Alisson from 16 yards.
Emery almost took off on the touchline in celebration but Liverpool powered themselves back ahead 11 minutes later when Cody Gakpo finished from close range. Salah’s switch of play to Luis Diaz opened up the pitch and the Colombian teed-up Gomez, who was just about onside on the overlap.
The full-back squared for Gakpo to finish and a substantial VAR check confirmed the goal, which was the Dutchman’s fourth goal involvement in as many games.
Villa should have equalised before half-time when Leon Bailey sent a cross through Alisson’s legs. Diego Carlos nudged Watkins out of his way as the pair ran to meet the delivery but could not get a touch to take the ball into an empty net.
That miss came back to haunt Villa as Liverpool extended their lead straight after the interval. Elliott sent a free-kick to the back post where Quansah rose above Digne to loop a header back across goal, over Martinez and in off the post for his first Premier League goal.
The hosts thought they had responded straight away when Watkins tapped home Bailey’s centre but it was disallowed for an earlier offside — as was Elliott’s finish at the other end — but Villa were starting to throw more at their visitors.
Diaby fired into the side-netting and Alisson repelled a shot from substitute Nicolo Zaniolo, whose cameo was curtailed following a knock. Jurgen Klopp had made a quadruple substitution with a quarter of an hour remaining but it was Emery’s enforced change due to Zaniolo’s injury that proved the difference.
With five minutes left Alexis Mac Allister received a pass from Virgil van Dijk on the edge of his own area and lost possession to Callum Chambers, allowing Duran to tuck a shot into the bottom corner. Villa Park rose in belief.
Then, less than three minutes later, Diaby drove forward, played a through ball into Duran and the ball hit the striker’s thigh and looped over Alisson for Villa’s equaliser.
Alisson denied Villa the most remarkable of endings by stopping Diaby’s drilled shot with a strong right arm. They are still on track for Champions League football next season, a gig that Klopp knows well.
And amidst the chaotic scenes at full-time, there was the poignant image of the departing Liverpool manager saluting the ever-so-loyal travelling supporters for one last time. It had been wild.
