[Sport] Liverpool 1-1 Aston Villa: Roberto Firmino nets on farewell but Reds' top-four charge hits buffers

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Roberto Firmino scored a late leveller on his final Anfield appearance but Liverpool's winning streak was ended in a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa.

With Manchester United winning 1-0 at Bournemouth, Liverpool are three points off their rivals in fourth but United still have two games to play, so it looks very unlikely they'll be playing Champions League football next season.

With Jurgen Klopp watching on from the stands following his FA ban, Ollie Watkins had already missed a penalty when Jacob Ramsey opened the scoring (27) for Unai Emery's excellently organised side who were on the verge of becoming just the second team to win at Anfield in the Premier League in the last 42 fixtures.

However, Klopp called for Firmino and James Milner from the bench - both who are leaving the club in the summer - and it was the brilliant Brazilian, who was in tears at full-time, that forced home the equaliser with stoppage time approaching.

Villa were perhaps fortunate not to have the otherwise excellent Tyrone Mings sent-off in the first half for a very high challenge on Cody Gakpo, who also had a goal chalked off for offside after the break.Brooks was in the thick of the action in an intense game with both teams taking risks with their aggressive defensive high lines. The referee handed Watkins a golden opportunity from the spot when the striker induced an ill-judged tackle from Ibrahima Konate, but Watkins placed his penalty well wide.

Ramsey spared Watkins' blushes minutes later when his well-executed volley from Douglas Luiz's cross whistled past Alisson.

Villa played with great control and aggression as Liverpool struggled for answers, however, they appeared fortunate to finish the half still with 11 players on the pitch.

Brooks only booked Mings for a high challenge on Gakpo, who was caught in the midriff with a forceful boot from the Villa defender. VAR took a look at the tackle but didn't initiate an on-field review.

The same pattern continued after the break with Villa's high line making it difficult for Liverpool to put sustained attacks together. Gakpo thought he had an equaliser after the restart when he followed in a rebound from a Konate shot which was blocked on the line by Mings, but VAR invited Brooks to view the pitchside monitor and he overturned his original decision as Virgil van Dijk was offside.

The equaliser didn't look like coming but Firmino popped up in the 89th minute, sliding in to convert Mohamed Salah's low cross to set up a grandstand finish. Liverpool probed but Villa remained switched on and controlled in their defending. A point was the least they deserved.

https://www.skysports.com/football/liverpool-vs-a-villa/report/464998