Van Dijk scores twice but Liverpool suffer painful defeat at Aston Villa
Virgil van Dijk was on target twice for Liverpool, but it was not enough to prevent a 4-2 defeat at Aston Villa. The loss sees Liverpool drop to fifth place in the Premier League.
Disappointing season nearing its end
Liverpool cannot wait for this season to be over. The reigning champions under manager Arne Slot suffered a painful away defeat on Friday evening against direct rivals Aston Villa, going down 4-2. With the victory, Aston Villa simultaneously secured their place in next season's Champions League.
Van Dijk rescues some pride with two headers
The one bright spot on Liverpool's side was captain Virgil van Dijk, who accounted for both goals. His first was a well-directed header that briefly drew his side level. Deep into stoppage time, the Dutch defender repeated the feat to make it 4-2 at the final whistle. Van Dijk started alongside Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo in Liverpool's starting line-up.
Defensive homework well below par
After the break, Liverpool could not keep pace with the hosts and their defensive display was alarmingly sloppy. Morgan Rogers opened the scoring from a well-worked corner routine, finding the top corner with a fine finish. For the 2-1, Dominik Szoboszlai slipped, allowing Rogers to pick up the ball and set up Ollie Watkins to score. Watkins then struck again for 3-1 before John McGinn added a fourth to put Aston Villa firmly in control. Liverpool's tally of 52 goals conceded in the Premier League is their highest since the competition moved to a 38-game format in 1995.
Away form remains major concern
Manager Slot had already identified Liverpool's poor away record as one of the season's biggest problems the previous week. The defeat in Birmingham only reinforces that picture: Liverpool end the season with nine losses in nineteen away matches. Even so, the standings are not yet beyond repair. With a four-point cushion over Bournemouth, a top-five finish — and with it direct Champions League qualification — still looks achievable. Bournemouth must beat Manchester City on Monday to have any chance of overtaking Liverpool on the final day of 24 May. The top five clubs in the Premier League qualify directly for the Champions League, partly thanks to the strong performances of English clubs in European competition.
Aston Villa ready for European final
For Aston Villa, this match served as an excellent final dress rehearsal. The Birmingham club are preparing for the UEFA Europa League final, taking place this coming Wednesday in Istanbul against Freiburg. It will be Aston Villa's first major European final since they lifted the European Cup in 1982.
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Source: Via NOS (GNews)
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