By Aston Villa staged a dramatic comeback to secure a 3-3 draw against Liverpool at Villa Park, thanks to two late goals from Colombian substitute Jhon Duran. This crucial point leaves Villa five points clear of Tottenham in the race for the coveted fourth place in the Premier League, edging them closer to Champions League qualification.
The match started disastrously for Villa with an early own goal by Emiliano Martinez, gifting Liverpool the lead. Villa quickly responded with an equalizer from Youri Tielemans, but Liverpool regained their advantage through Cody Gakpo midway through the first half. Jarell Quansah extended Liverpool’s lead early in the second half.
Villa had their chances to get back into the game, with Diego Carlos missing a golden opportunity from close range and Ollie Watkins having a goal disallowed for offside. However, Jhon Duran’s late heroics turned the tide. Duran, coming off the bench, netted twice in quick succession to salvage a point for Unai Emery’s side and keep their Champions League hopes alive.
The result means that Tottenham must win their home game against Manchester City on Tuesday to keep their own top-four ambitions alive. For Liverpool, it was a dramatic and bittersweet penultimate game for manager Jurgen Klopp, who will oversee his final match in charge in the upcoming home fixture.
This thrilling encounter highlighted Aston Villa’s resilience and determination under Emery, as they continue to push for a place among Europe’s elite next season.
