Liverpool 1-1 Aston Villa

Jacob Ramsey marked his 100^th appearance in claret and with a goal as Aston Villa were denied a win by Liverpool’s late leveller at Anfield.

The midfielder ghosted in at the far post to convert Douglas Luiz’s cross after 27 minutes, sending a first-time shot past Alisson.

Villa, who controlled the first half, had seen Ollie Watkins shoot wide from the penalty spot minutes earlier after the striker was felled by Ibrahima Konate.

Liverpool applied greater pressure on the visitors after the break and saw Cody Gakpo’s goal disallowed following a VAR check.  

And just when it looked like the Villans were headed to an important win, Roberto Firmino tapped home the equaliser after 89 minutes.

Matty Cash, Boubacar Kamara and Lucas Digne came into the side as Unai Emery set about ending The Reds’ seven-game winning run.

And the visitors made a solid start on Merseyside, enjoying plenty of possession and snuffing out any attacks before they posed a threat to Emi Martínez’s goal.

The game suddenly sprang into life after 20 minutes when Watkins raced onto John McGinn’s lofted through ball and enticed Konate into a mistimed tackle, leaving referee John Brooks with no choice but to point to the spot.

Villa’s No11 picked himself up to take the penalty but, in front of a vociferous Kop End, dragged his shot wide of the right-hand post.

Undeterred by the miss, the away side pushed forward once again and put the ball in the net with 27 minutes on the clock.

Luiz curled an inviting ball to the back post where the unmarked Ramsey fired a first-time effort back across goal and past Alisson.

The Luiz and Ramsey link-up crafted another opening later in the half when the goalscorer darted into the box and onto the end of a short free-kick, forcing the Liverpool ‘keeper into a smart, one-handed save.

Mo Salah registered the hosts’ first shot on target when he curled a tame effort Martínez’s way after 50 minutes, but Villa continued to be the team moving the ball with greater purpose and fluidity.

Liverpool, who are the third-highest scorers in the league, thought they’d pulled level after 55 minutes when Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross caused havoc in the box and Gakpo slammed the ball home from close-range.

However, VAR came to Villa’s rescue and instructed Brooks to head to the pitchside monitor, with the referee eventually disallowing the goal due to Virgil van Dijk being offside in the build-up.

Frustration around Anfield was growing with each passing minute, but with 20 to play the home side began penning the away side into their own half.  

Alexander-Arnold shot straight at Martínez from the edge of the box but Liverpool were struggling to break through until they found a route to goal in the final minute of normal time.

An audacious cross with the outside of his boot from Salah put the ball on a plate for Firmino to turn home.