Aston Villa vs. Liverpool Ends in Thrilling 2-2 Draw at Villa Park

Aston Villa and Premier League leaders Liverpool battled to an exciting 2-2 draw at Villa Park, with the Reds missing the chance to extend their lead at the top beyond eight points—having played a game more than Arsenal.

Mohamed Salah opened the scoring for Liverpool with his 24th league goal of the season, but Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins turned the game around for Villa before halftime. Trent Alexander-Arnold equalized in the second half, but neither team could find a winner on Wednesday night.

Liverpool remain unbeaten in 14 away Premier League games this season (W9 D5), while Villa haven’t lost at home since August, when they fell to Arsenal.

First Half: Villa Bounce Back After Salah’s Record-Breaking Goal

Liverpool looked in control when Salah put them ahead in the 29th minute. Andrés García gave away possession to Diogo Jota, who raced into the box and squared the ball for Salah to fire into the top corner.

Salah’s goal saw him break Luis Suárez’s club record for most away goals in a single Premier League season (15), surpassing Suárez’s 14-goal tally from 2013-14.

However, Villa responded quickly. Tielemans capitalized on Liverpool’s failure to clear a free-kick and fired through a crowd of players to equalize in the 38th minute.

Just before halftime, Villa took the lead. Watkins combined with Lucas Digne, then headed in Digne’s cross past Alisson to put the hosts 2-1 up.

It was the first time since July 2020 (vs. Arsenal) that Liverpool scored first but trailed at halftime in a Premier League match.

Second Half: Alexander-Arnold’s Equalizer & A Missed Opportunity for Liverpool

Liverpool pressed for an equalizer, with Jota hitting the bar just before the hour mark. Moments later, Alexander-Arnold stepped up. After a one-two with Salah, the right-back fired a shot from the edge of the box, which took a deflection off Tyrone Mings and found the net to make it 2-2.

Salah’s assist made him the first player since Eden Hazard (2018-19) to register 15+ goals (24) and 15+ assists (15) in a single Premier League season.

Despite expectations that Liverpool would push for a winner, Darwin Núñez’s 69th-minute attempt was their final shot on goal. Villa came closest to snatching victory, with Donyell Malen shooting just wide in the dying moments.

Ultimately, both sides settled for a point, with Liverpool maintaining their Premier League lead, but allowing Arsenal a chance to close the gap.