Liverpool Stumbles at Villa Park: Nunez Misses Golden Chance in 2-2 Draw

Liverpool dropped vital points in their pursuit of the Premier League title after a frustrating 2-2 draw away to Aston Villa at Villa Park on February 19, 2025. Despite an early lead and a valiant second-half response, Jurgen Klopp’s men couldn’t find the winner, leaving their title hopes hanging in the balance.

Salah and Nunez Lead the Charge, But Villa Fights Back
Liverpool was on track to extend their lead at the top of the table when Mohamed Salah pounced on a defensive blunder in the 28th minute. A misplaced backpass from Villa’s Andrés García handed Diogo Jota the chance to tee up Salah, who made no mistake, slotting the ball past Emiliano Martínez.

Just when it looked like the Reds would take control, Villa struck back. Youri Tielemans scored an absolute cracker to level the game just before the break. The Belgian volleyed home a loose ball after a poorly cleared free-kick, sending the teams to the locker rooms at 1-1.

But Aston Villa wasn’t done yet. In injury time of the first half, Ollie Watkins connected with a pinpoint cross from Lucas Digne to put Villa in front, leaving Liverpool stunned at 2-1.

Alexander-Arnold Saves the Day, But Nunez Misses Glory
Liverpool didn’t sit back in the second half. Trent Alexander-Arnold came to the rescue, rifling in a deflected shot from the edge of the box in the 60th minute to pull Liverpool level once again. 2-2.

However, Darwin Núñez had a golden opportunity to secure all three points in the 74th minute. After a perfect pass from Dominik Szoboszlai, Núñez, who had been lively throughout, fired his shot over the bar from close range. The miss was nothing short of criminal, according to Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler, who criticized the forward for squandering such an easy chance.

“That’s the type of chance that can cost you a title,” Fowler said in his post-match analysis. “Nunez needs to be more clinical in those moments.”

Villa, on the other hand, almost snatched the win in the 81st minute when Jacob Ramsey found the net, but his effort was ruled out for offside, ensuring the game would end in a draw.

A Missed Opportunity in the Title Race
This draw means Liverpool now sits eight points clear at the top of the table, but with Arsenal still having a game in hand, the title race is far from decided. Jurgen Klopp expressed his frustration after the match, acknowledging that his team could have extended their lead to 10 points with a victory but failed to make their chances count.

Looking Ahead: Can Liverpool Regain Their Edge?
With the title race intensifying, Liverpool will need to shake off this disappointment quickly. Their next match sees them face a massive test at the Etihad Stadium against Manchester City, where they’ll need to be at their best if they want to hold off their closest competitors.

As for Aston Villa, Unai Emery will take heart from his team’s resilience and their ability to challenge the league’s best. Villa will look to build on this performance as they continue their push for European qualification.