May 13, (THEWILL) – Substitute Jhon Durán struck twice late on as Aston Villa fought back from two goals down to earn a 3-3 draw against Liverpool on Sunday. The result prevented Villa from suffering back-to-back English Premier League defeats for the first time this season.
Liverpool appeared set to give Jürgen Klopp a fitting farewell present in his final away game as the club’s manager. The Reds took the lead in the opening minutes after Emiliano Martínez fumbled Harvey Elliott’s deflected cross into his net. However, an Aston Villa side chasing a first top-four finish since 1995/1996 refused to submit.
The Villans restored parity 10 minutes later when Ollie Watkins dribbled forward at breakneck speed, cutting back for the lurking Youri Tielemans, who thumped his strike past a crowd of defenders and into the net. Both sides kept the intensity high, and Liverpool regained the lead through Cody Gakpo’s tap-in before Jarell Quansah’s looping header extended their advantage.
Villa persisted, and Durán’s late introduction proved decisive. The Colombian forward fired an unstoppable strike into the bottom corner past Alisson to give Villa a lifeline. Capping off a whirlwind contest, Durán was more fortunate in the 89th minute, with Moussa Diaby’s wayward shot bouncing off the substitute’s knee and drifting over a helpless Alisson.
The dramatic draw moved Villa five points ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, allowing Unai Emery’s outfit to confirm their place in next season’s UEFA Champions League if Spurs lose against Manchester City on Wednesday.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
