Jhon Duran bags brace as Aston Villa draw with Liverpool to boost top-four hopes
Jhon Duran scored twice in the final 10 minutes to earn Aston Villa a thrilling 3-3 draw against Liverpool which moves them closer to Champions League qualification.
Villa looked dead and buried as Emiliano Martinez’s astonishing gaffe handed the Reds a second-minute goal, which was cancelled out by Youri Tielemans, before strikes from Cody Gakpo and Jarell Quansah put them 3-1 up in Jurgen Klopp’s final away game in charge.
But Duran climbed off the bench to score twice in four minutes and put Villa on the brink of qualification for the Champions League for the first time.
The draw means they will be guaranteed a top-four spot if Tottenham fail to beat Manchester City on Tuesday night.
If Spurs win, their fate will go down to the final day where Villa travel to an in-form Crystal Palace while the London club visit already-relegated Sheffield United.
For Klopp, who was disgusted at his side’s late collapse, all roads now lead to Anfield where he will end his nine-year stint as Liverpool boss on what will surely be an emotional farewell against Wolves.
Hollywood star Tom Hanks was in attendance at Villa Park and the opening 64 seconds was like a scene from a disaster movie for the hosts.
Liverpool were given a goal start after a spectacular blunder by Martinez with just over a minute on the clock.
Harvey Elliott’s cross innocuously deflected off Pau Torres and the Argentina goalkeeper spilled it and then clumsily knocked it over the line as he tried to gather the ball.
The visitors could have built on that early gift as Mohamed Salah saw a deflected effort flash just wide.
Villa found their feet and responded by levelling in the 12th minute.
Ollie Watkins skinned Quansah down the left and his pull-back fell kindly to Tielemans who fired home from 12 yards out.
That turned the tide and Villa looked dangerous as Watkins and Leon Bailey were both denied by good blocks by Quansah.
But Liverpool regained their lead in the 23rd minute with an electric move from back to front which ended in Gakpo converting from close range after Martinez could only palm away Joe Gomez’s cross.
The goal survived a three-minute check for offside, with VAR’s line marginally ruling Gomez onside.
Villa remained a threat and Diego Carlos provided a contender for the miss of the season 10 minutes before the break as he somehow put Bailey’s cross wide from barely a yard out.
The chances kept coming and Moussa Diaby should have levelled but he blazed over after being played in by John McGinn.
Liverpool scored early again in the second half to extend their lead.
Quansah was given a free header at the far post from Elliott and he guided it into the far corner.
The hosts were chasing the game and thought they had started a comeback when Watkins turned in Bailey’s cross, but the Jamaica international was offside in the build-up.
Watkins then failed to convert from close range after Alisson Becker’s clearance had been closed down.
Liverpool were looking just as dangerous and also had a goal ruled out when Luis Diaz was offside before Salah turned home.
Villa gave themselves hope in the final 10 minutes when Elliott was dispossessed and Duran drilled a low effort into the corner.
Three minutes later Villa Park exploded as Diaby’s attempted through-ball deflected off Duran’s knee and looped over Alisson.
Diaby could have won it for Villa but the Brazil goalkeeper made a brilliant save late on.
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