Match reportMohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold score as Liverpool draw 2-2 at Aston Villa

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s goal on the hour ultimately earned the Reds a result at Villa Park that means they now sit eight points clear at the top of the table, albeit having played one game more than second-placed Arsenal.

Mohamed Salah had earlier put the visitors ahead, but Villa led at half-time through Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins.

Alexander-Arnold’s equaliser followed and both sides had chances to win it, but an entertaining encounter finished all square.

Team

Curtis Jones returned to Liverpool’s starting XI in place of Luis Diaz as Arne Slot made one change from the weekend win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Liverpool: Alisson, Van Dijk, Konate, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister (Diaz, 80), Salah, Jones, Jota (Nunez, 66), Robertson, Gravenberch, Alexander-Arnold (Bradley, 66 (Quansah, 89)).

Unused subs: Kelleher, Endo, Chiesa, Elliott, Tsimikas.

First half

An assertive start to the game from the Reds featured a sumptuous, outside-of-the-boot pass from Alexander-Arnold that found Virgil van Dijk following a corner. The captain shot off-target from a tight angle.

Diogo Jota’s first sight of goal arrived soon after as he was set up by Salah’s cut-back and the No.20 swept his attempt goalwards, only for Tyrone Mings to block.

Villa weathered that early spell, though, and found their footing in the contest.

A disallowed goal followed as Marcus Rashford was offside before his cross bounced in off Van Dijk, but still the better chances were Liverpool’s.

Salah headed a pinpoint Andy Robertson delivery over the crossbar and Alexis Mac Allister saw a shot blocked before the Premier League’s top scorer struck again.

Andres Garcia’s pass was intercepted by Jota and he advanced into the area, coaxing Emiliano Martinez off his line, prior to unselfishly teeing up Salah to slam in his 24th top-flight goal – and 29th overall – of the season.

With half an hour gone, Villa going in at the interval ahead seemed a highly unlikely prospect, but they did just that.

First, Tielemans equalised from close range after Liverpool failed to clear their lines after a set-piece. Jota then spurned a clear-cut opportunity straight from the restart as he skewed a wayward attempt into the Holte End when one-on-one with Martinez.

And, in stoppage time, Unai Emery’s team edged in front, with Watkins guiding a header home from Lucas Digne’s cross.

Second half

Liverpool largely controlled the opening stages of the second period and the leveller arrived moments after Jota had clipped the top of the crossbar with an effort from 20 yards.

Alexander-Arnold was involved in the build-up too, as he fed Salah and continued his run forward. The return pass from Salah came and the vice-captain took a touch before taking a shot that deflected in off Mings.

The Reds looked to maximise their momentum and Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai linked up intricately, though were unable to work Martinez.

Szoboszlai then opted to square to substitute Darwin Nunez instead of shooting when clean through on goal, but the No.9 had to stretch and could only fire over.

An end-to-end rollercoaster ensued, with Liverpool applying pressure but Villa offering plenty of threat going the other way.

Indeed, the Reds were twice nearly consigned to their first away defeat of the season in the league in stoppage time, as Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen both missed presentable chances to snatch all three points at the death.