Liverpool v. Aston Villa | PREMIER LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS | 5/20/2023 | NBC Sports

Let's have a look at the men who matter at Anfield today. Jurgen Klopp has won his last six games against Unai Emery. Alisson is in goal as usual. Trent Alexander-Arnold has provided six assists in the last eight games, and that free kick at Leicester. Curtis Jones has scored three goals in the last four matches. And Mo Salah has scored in his last nine games at Anfield. Darwin Nunez is still out, but Roberto Firmino and James Milner are on the bench on the day of their Anfield farewells. Unai Emery has taken Aston Villa to the brink of Europe. World Cup winner Emi Martinez is in goal. There's a change of full-backs, as Mati Kass and Luka Dinia both start. And Bhuvikar Kamara also comes in to midfield. Olly Watkins has scored five goals in five games against Liverpool. It's Jacob Ramsey's 100th game for Villa. Ashley Young, Alex Moreno and Emi Buendia drop to the bench, but former Anfield favourite Philip Coutinho is injured. Well, there's battles and key match-ups all over the field here, Ian, but for me it's Robertson, the left-back, and Trent Alexander, the right-back. They're the catalyst behind everything on the front foot for Liverpool, and they go up against the two players that have come in, Kass and Dinia, so for me it's all about the full-backs in this game, who is going to get the upper hand. And Liverpool and Aston Villa have come out to play, and are still hopeful in Liverpool's case of gate-crashing a Champions League spot. In Aston Villa's case, pretty much any sort of European competition will do nicely for them after the season they've had. There's applause in the seventh minute for Dan Kay, Liverpool echo journalist and Hillsborough campaigner, who's sadly died in the seventh minute because his favourite player was Kenny Dalglish. Opportunity here for Aston Villa. It will be Olly Watkins to step forward. Five goals against Liverpool, memories of a hat-trick in the 7-2 game. It's a major moment, it's a big kick, it's a personal duel. Watkins against Anton. Well, the pressure of the penalty at Anfield going towards the cot was too much for Olly Watkins there. And when you think how well he'd done to get that penalty, and how good to touch that is to miss the target and not force a save. You can see what it means, and that just gives Anfield one more thing to raise their voice here for Liverpool. Left to reflect on what might have been. Pena going long. Fabinho sends it back in his direction. Van Dijk got there ahead of Watkins. Bailey. Aston Villa keeping this alive. Jones in the way. Douglas-Ruiz with an inviting cross! And they have put them in front after all. Well, there's two things we're going to have a look at here. One is the delivery, the delivery to the back post area. It's absolutely brilliant, but it's also about the quality of the finish. We see the long throw coming into the area, Liverpool deal with it with the first phase. The second phase is Van Dijk that gets it clear, but then when they're trying to get the lines out, it's the third phase, and just keep an eye on Trent Alexander-Arnold. He gets sucked in to come alongside Kennedy, and he forgets about the man behind him. And Ramsey's got to watch that all the way onto his left foot, and the clinical finish back across goal. Low and hard, 1-0, and well deserved by Aston Villa. You can see what it meant to Jacob Ramsey for Liverpool. Alexander-Arnold likewise. It's Van Dijk sending it up here, makes it 1-1. It'll be interesting to see the replay, to see if it's actually offside. Because as the ball comes in from Trent Alexander-Arnold and shifts onto his left foot, it's going to be a very, very close call on the little nod back here, because as the shot comes in off Kennedy, look who's on the goal line, it's Mings doing everything possible to stop this ball going into the back of the net. Now are we going to see Diaz onside or offside? An agonising wait at Anfield. I have to say it's very close, but it's looking more likely to be offside when Diaz makes that run. Aston Villa hold a very, very high line, and a very good line actually. Tony Harrington on VAR Tuesday, it's on block from Mings. John Brookes is going to be summoned to his monitor here to check out a potential offside against Van Dijk. Flexion en route as well to add to the tension. It's been full of drama this afternoon with the VAR decisions, penalties. Mings on the line. And the wait goes on. Will the goal stand or won't it? Doesn't look good the fact that John Brookes has been summoned to the monitor. There's two possible things we'll be looking at, yeah? It's the first ball into the area, the nod back from Diaz, but actually as it comes back to Van Dijk, he could potentially be offside as well, and I think we're going to see an offside decision. Liverpool fans have been rattled this afternoon, but Cody Gatpoe's goal does not stand for Jurgen Klopp. And is this going to be one of those days for Liverpool? Some forward runners in behind Aston Villa, and when we think how disciplined and professional Aston Villa have been in this match so far, you've got to keep the concentration. Gatpoe is advancing, Firmino takes over having just come on. Gatpoe, Alexander-Arnold, Martinez. Well, straight away it's incredible when you think how comfortable Aston Villa have looked, and all of a sudden three substitutes come on, the crowd lifts up, and you expect Alexander-Arnold to put that one in the back of the net, and thankfully for Martinez and the Aston Villa supporters, it's a nice, easy cushioned pass for him. Elliott. Salah. Oh, Salah's cross! Yes, it's incredible, you think of all the hard work that Villa have done defensively, and it's the man that's come on to play his final game at Anfield, it's a fairytale finish. Salah stretches the back line of Ashley Young, and it's the outside of the boot, into a dangerous area, and Firmino, the timing, is absolutely incredible, and that's heartbreak for Aston Villa and their fans, and joy for the Kop and Firmino. His 16th goal as a sub. Might be easier to say who hasn't. Ashley Young, floated in, but it's straight through to Alisson, and that's inviting more pressure. And Alisson has sent it perfectly towards Jota. Firmino waiting in the box again, Jota held up by Kas. Liverpool hungry for a winner. Martinez having to gather that from Gafco. As soon as I felt the Gafco, he takes it out, gets the ball out of his feet and he's singing, how do I test Martinez here? And the swerve and the bend on that, Martinez has got to watch it all the way. 100 minutes. A free kick, a set-piece scenario. Alexander-Arnold, though, sees that plucked out of the air by Emi Martinez. He was looking for Virgil van Dijk, but it never looked like it was happening, and I wonder if that is that. Sean Brooks, not blowing his whistle quite yet. Will there be one last chance in this match? There won't be! It's all over, it's 1-1. A pulsating encounter at Anfield. Roberto Firmino came on to save the day and score his final goal at Anfield for Liverpool before leaving the club. They pushed and pushed and probed and probed for a winner, but it didn't happen. Jacob Ramsey fired Villa in front in the first half with an exquisite finish after Ollie Watkins had sent a penalty wide. Cody Gakko had what he thought was an equaliser, ruled out for offside. An eventful encounter, to say the very least, ends Liverpool 1-1. To tune in for Premier League mornings every weekend on USA Network and on Peacock. We will see you over there.