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Liverpool dropped points away from home for the second consecutive match, once again settling for a 2-2 draw, just a week after conceding a late goal against Everton in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
Mohamed Salah gave Liverpool an early lead, but Aston Villa finished the first half strongly, overturning the scoreline with goals from Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins.
Trent Alexander-Arnold equalized just after the hour mark, and shortly after, Liverpool had a golden opportunity to secure a 3-2 victory. Darwin Núñez, who had just replaced Diogo Jota, found himself with an open goal but astonishingly missed the target, skying his left-footed effort over the bar.
Since his arrival from Benfica in 2022, the Uruguayan striker has struggled with inconsistent finishing, and manager Arne Slot was visibly stunned by the miss.
Some Liverpool fans, however, directed their frustration at Dominik Szoboszlai, who chose to pass to Núñez instead of taking the shot himself after being played through by Conor Bradley.
One supporter questioned, “Still don’t get why Szoboszlai didn’t shoot,” while another remarked, “Núñez’s miss was terrible, but Szoboszlai’s decision was odd.” Others suggested that the Hungarian lacked confidence, with one commenting, “He bottled it. Running at full speed with a defender close by, I’ve seen many players miss those kinds of passes.”
Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler also believed Szoboszlai should have taken the shot, but Arne Slot defended his decision, stating, “[Szoboszlai] made the perfect choice to pass it. It was a huge chance, just unfortunate. I was hoping he’d get another opportunity because a player of his quality wouldn’t miss twice in a row.”
Liverpool will return to action on Sunday with a crucial clash against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, a pivotal match for both teams in the title race.
