Liverpool stretched their lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points after a 2-2 draw against Aston Villa.
Goals from Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold were cancelled out by Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins in a tightly contested match at Villa Park.
The Reds, unbeaten in the league since September, took the lead in the 29th minute when Salah converted from a Diogo Jota assist after a misplaced pass from Andres Garcia.
However, Villa equalised nine minutes later through Tielemans before Watkins nodded the hosts ahead in first-half stoppage time.
Alexander-Arnold's deflected strike in the 61st minute restored parity.
Liverpool did have further chances to seal all 3 points, but were wasteful in front of goal. Crucially, Darwin Núñez missed a golden opportunity to win it when he blazed his shot over an empty goal.
Rashford impresses in 1st Villa start
Marcus Rashford, making his first start since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United, played a key role in his side’s attacking play.
His cross led to Virgil van Dijk’s own goal, though it was ruled out for offside.
The forward showed energy both in attack and defence before being substituted midway through the second half as he regains match fitness.
Salah continues record-breaking season
Salah added another milestone to his remarkable campaign, taking his tally to 39 goal involvements in the league—24 goals and 15 assists.
The Egyptian became just the fifth player to record at least 15 goals and 15 assists in a single Premier League season, joining Eric Cantona, Matt Le Tissier, Thierry Henry, and Eden Hazard.
He also became the first player in Premier League history to score and assist in 10 different matches in a single season.
The only other player to achieve the feat in Europe’s top five leagues since 2014-15 was Lionel Messi for Barcelona.
Title Race tightens
Manager Arne Slot admitted frustration with the result, stating, "I’m not happy with 2-2. We created enough chances to win the game."
Liverpool’s draw, coupled with Arsenal’s upcoming fixture, leaves the title race finely balanced.
Liverpool now turn their focus to a crucial clash at Manchester City on Sunday. Arsenal, sitting 2nd, could reduce the gap with a win over West Ham on Saturday.
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