Liverpool Held by Villa

Image credits: Skysports

Liverpool moved eight points clear at the top of the Premier League after being held to a gripping draw at Aston Villa. The Reds have not lost in the Premier League since being beaten 1-0 by Nottingham Forest at Anfield in September, but were almost undone by sloppy defending and a lack of cutting edge. Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins cancelled out Mohamed Salah's 29th-minute opener, before Trent Alexander-Arnold levelled 16 minutes after the break.

The match was a thrilling encounter, with both teams creating numerous scoring opportunities. Premier League leaders Liverpool were looking to extend their lead at the top of the table, while Aston Villa were seeking to move closer to the top four. The hosts were boosted by the presence of Marcus Rashford, who was making his first start for the club after joining on loan from Manchester United. Rashford was bright for the hosts and his cross was turned into his own net by Virgil van Dijk after 17 minutes, only for the forward to be correctly ruled offside.

Salah then miscued a header, but he was on hand to open the scoring from Diogo Jota's centre when Andres Garcia's awful pass gifted the Portuguese forward the ball. Yet the lead lasted just nine minutes when Tielemans struck after the visitors failed to clear Rashford's free-kick. After Jota wasted a fine chance, Watkins nodded Villa ahead in first-half injury time following a fine Lucas Digne cross. Liverpool hit back, though, with Jota hitting the bar before Salah teed up Alexander-Arnold for a deflected low effort that beat Emi Martinez.

The result means that Liverpool have extended their lead at the top of the table to eight points, although they have played a game more than second-placed Arsenal. The Gunners will be looking to close the gap when they host West Ham on Saturday, while Liverpool face a tough trip to Manchester City on Sunday. Aston Villa, meanwhile, remain in ninth place and five points adrift of the top four. The match was an entertaining encounter, with both teams creating numerous scoring opportunities. In the end, a draw was a fair result, although Liverpool may feel that they should have won the game given the number of chances they created.

The performance of Salah was a major highlight of the match, as he scored one goal and assisted another. He has now been involved in 39 goals in the Premier League this season, and is one of the main reasons why Liverpool are top of the table. The result of the match was also influenced by the substitutions made by both teams, with Darwin Nunez missing a golden chance to win the game for Liverpool in the second half. Overall, the match was an exciting encounter that showcased the quality of both teams, and sets up an interesting few weeks in the Premier League title race.