Defending champions Liverpool suffered a major blow to their top-four ambitions after a chaotic 4-2 defeat against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Friday night.
The loss, Liverpool’s 12th in the Premier League this season, means Unai Emery’s clinical Aston Villa side have officially leapfrogged them into fourth place, booking their spot in next season's UEFA Champions League.
Liverpool now face a tense final day next weekend when they host Brentford at Anfield. Arne Slot’s side must win to guarantee a seat at Europe's top table, with Bournemouth and Brighton breathing down their necks.
Liverpool started without injured £125 million striker Alexander Isak, while Mohamed Salah and Florian Wirtz were only fit enough for the bench. Despite controlling early play, the Reds lacked a cutting edge.
Villa broke the deadlock just before halftime when Morgan Rogers curled home a brilliant strike following a clever short-corner routine.
Liverpool responded early in the second half. Captain Virgil van Dijk powered home a header from a Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick to make it 1-1. Moments later, Liverpool's lively young forward Rio Ngumoha hit the post with a curling effort.
The momentum shifted instantly. Just 73 seconds after Ngumoha's near-miss, a slip from Szoboszlai allowed Rogers to set up Ollie Watkins, who finished coolly past Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Watkins added his second from close range after Liverpool failed to clear a corner, and Villa captain John McGinn curled in a stunning fourth goal in the 89th minute. A late stoppage-time header from Van Dijk served as mere consolation for the visitors.
The defeat sets an unwanted record for Liverpool, who have now conceded 51 goals this term—their highest tally in a 38-game Premier League season. Crucially, 20 of those have come from set-pieces, the worst record in the top flight.
Despite growing frustration among fans, manager Arne Slot remained defiant about his future.
"I can understand that, at this moment, fans don't have a lot of confidence," Slot said after the match. "But they are underestimating what a transfer window and a new start can do. We miss nine potential starters through injuries. I don't think the difference between us and the top teams is that big."
With one game left, Liverpool's entire season rests on the final day.
