Aston Villa v Liverpool: Three stars disappoint with terrible displays

Liverpool put on an resolute display to ensure they earned a point away to Aston Villa in what was at times an exhausted display from the visitors.

Goals from Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold meant that the Reds increased their lead to eight at the top of the Premier League, but it was a frustrating night for a tired looking Liverpool.

The opening exchanges were fairly even, save for the goal Aston Villa thought they had scored when they forced a rare Virgil van Dijk own goal, only for it to be ruled out for offside.

Following that, both Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah spurned decent chances for Liverpool to score in the opening half hour. However, 29 minutes in they combined after a loose Andres Garcia pass meant Jota had a free run at goal, which he unselfishly squared for Salah to hammer home into a mostly open net.

After taking the lead however the Reds sought to manage the game until the break, and a series of half clearances from a free-kick led to the ball dropping to Youri Tielemans, who was able to level the game with a close range volley seven minutes before the half.

Jota missed a glorious chance when he was one-on-one with Emi Martinez, and it proved costly as Ollie Watkins was able to nod home a close range header after he drifted unmarked into the box shortly before the half-time whistle went.

As the second half began, Liverpool continued in their defensive maladies, with Alisson coming to claim a ball he was never getting and Ibrahima Konate sparing his blushes on the line.

Jota hit the top of the bar just shy of the hour mark, and barely a minute later Trent Alexander-Arnold's deflected effort spun past Martinez to restore parity.

It was only minutes after Darwin Nunez was introduced that he missed a very presentable chance. Axel Disasi was on the cover but the goal was nonetheless gaping, and it should have given Liverpool the lead.

Villa put Liverpool to the sword as you would expect from the home side, although the away side still had their chances as the game entered its last knockings.

Conor Bradley, a substitute himself, was sadly replaced late on by Jarell Quansah as the Northern Irishman appeared to suffer yet another injury.

Liverpool were lucky not to lose at the death as Donyell Malen clipped the outside of Alisson's post with the very last kick of the game.

Winner - Mohamed Salah

The first goalscorer of the night and always a threat from the right, it's easy to understate how important Salah was to Liverpool's attack this evening. Put simply, he was the crux of everything good Liverpool did going forward.

A goal and an assist, there is no doubting that Salah was by far and away the best play wearing white.

Loser - Curtis Jones

Jones didn't play horribly, but he was symptomatic of a midfield too easily overrun, particularly in the first half. A couple of half chances and being spun too easily made for a slightly sub-par showing in that more advanced midfield position.

Playing in that role with Jones instead of Dominik Szoboszlai obviously trades an element of aggression for more control, and unfortunately Jones couldn't provide a great deal of either.

Winner - Ibrahima Konate

Konate was easily Liverpool's best defender on the night, although given the ease in which they gave up their goals that is perhaps not the most glowing praise. Solid enough covering for both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ryan Gravenberch who both left something to be desired defensively, he was also key early in the second half not to let Marcus Rashford score into a goal which Alisson had vacated.

Loser - Diogo Jota

A frustrating night for Jota even though he notched an assist. A few chances he could've done better with, most obviously the one-on-one with Martinez moments after Villa equalised. He did clip the top of the bar with a speculative effort in the second half, but provided little else. After the embarrassment of having a penalty overturned for a dive at the weekend, it continues a strain of slightly disappointing showings from Jota.

It was more than fair enough to see him replaced by Darwin Nunez after 65 minutes, and it's a shame that Jota isn't quite living up to his reputation as Liverpool's best finisher in recent games.

Winner - Trent Alexander-Arnold

Had Alexander-Arnold stayed on the pitch just a few minutes longer, perhaps we would be talking about Liverpool having gone 10 points ahead at the top of the table. Not his greatest first half, but the opening 20 minutes of the second showed exactly what he was all about.

Fantastic on the ball and a great strike which levelled the tie, Alexander-Arnold was quick to remind everyone about the inherent quality he possesses with the ball at his feet.

Loser - Darwin Nunez

Nunez is obviously low on confidence, and this showed in the close range effort he blazed over, as well as a few misplaced passes. It's no surprise that this is the case given the lack of regular minutes and the fact that no matter who occupies that centre forward role for the Reds, they don't get many clear-cut chances.

You can't fault Nunez for his work rate or his hold-up play, but once again a seemingly straightforward finish lets him down.