Mane’s late, late winner maintains Pool’s push
ASTON VILLA 1
Trezeguet (21)
LIVERPOOL 2
Robertson (87), Mane (90)
Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool must learn from their narrow escape at Aston Villa after the Reds required some dramatic late heroics.
Sadio Mane’s stoppage-time winner arrived after Andy Robertson’s 87th-minute leveller to beat Villa and maintain Liverpool’s unbeaten Premier League record – which stretches back to January.
Trezeguet’s first Villa goal came close to ending their run as the battling hosts gave their visitors a massive scare.
Klopp said: “We still have to learn and improve and sometimes you have to get knocks and we got knocks. For little mistakes we got knocks but in the moment we could sort it.
“It’s not that we didn’t deserve to win, I’m fine with the performance, but there were moments I didn’t like.
“We made it difficult for ourselves. We started playing football well, but not exactly how we should have. Aston Villa were ready for a proper fight and a proper battle.
“When you watch the game one team deserved to win and it’s us. I can imagine how bad Aston Villa will feel, with all they did they will have deserved something.”
Trezeguet opened the scoring when he volleyed in John McGinn’s 21st-minute free-kick.
Roberto Firmino thought he had levelled soon after, only to be flagged offside. It was a call backed up by VAR, but so tight the Premier League had to clarify the decision at half-time, saying the striker’s armpit was ahead of last defender Tyrone Mings. Klopp added:
“It’s not the right way we talk about it and everyone wants to laugh about it.
“Managers get sacked for losing football games, but I don’t want to make it bigger than it is. I don’t think anyone is doing it on purpose. At the end we need to sort a couple of things.”
Liverpool’s last visit to Villa Park saw them thump Villa 6-0 with the hosts waving the white flag en route to an embarrassing relegation three years ago. But they faced a different, resurgent Villa this time, underlined by the way Anwar
El Ghazi bundled his way through to fire at Alisson Becker after 31 seconds.
The visitors, though, should have opened the scoring after 16 minutes, when from Jordan Henderson’s lobbed cross, a stretching Mane headed wide.
A minute later Tom Heaton pushed away Mohamed Salah’s angled volley, only for Villa to take the lead after 21 minutes. Mane brought down McGinn and the midfielder’s freekick caught Liverpool cold to allow Trezeguet to volley in at the far post.