Liverpool’s top-four tilt hangs by thread despite Firmino strike against Villa

There was a fairytale script of sorts for Roberto Firmino, but not for Liverpool. The departing Anfield favourite came off the bench to spark pandemonium with a 90th-minute equaliser against Aston Villa but, in the 10 minutes of stoppage time that followed, Liverpool were unable to complete the comeback to keep their Champions League dream realistically alive.

Manchester United and Newcastle would have qualified for the Champions League with a Villa win at Anfield. For most of the contest they were on course to do so, Villa ahead and containing Jürgen Klopp’s team with ease, but even the 110th goal of Firmino’s Liverpool career did not radically change the picture. Both require only a point from their two remaining games to finish in the top four.

The Europa League beckons for Liverpool after a storming run of seven successive Premier League wins was halted by Unai Emery’s resolute side. Villa’s slender interval lead was hard earned but well deserved. It would have been more comfortable too but for a glaring penalty miss by the usually potent Ollie Watkins shortly before Jacob Ramsey opened the scoring.

Emery’s team passed their way confidently through the Liverpool press, carried a constant threat and defended stoutly against a home side that were just lacking the final pass or right decision to make their pressure count. Klopp’s anxiety was clear even up in the Main Stand, where he was confined after receiving a two-match touchline ban for improper conduct following last month’s win over Tottenham.

The fourth official who Klopp ran up to that day, John Brooks, was in charge here and given no option but to award a penalty when Ibrahima Konaté sent Watkins tumbling in the box. Villa captain. John McGinn, released the