Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool: Sadio Mane scores dramatic stoppage-time winner for Reds

ASTON VILLA 1-2 LIVERPOOL – TREZEGUET (21), ROBERTSON (87), MANE (94)

Aston Villa XI: Heaton, Guilbert, Mings, Engels, Targett, Nakamba, McGinn, Luiz, Trezeguet, El Ghazi, Wesley

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Lallana, Henderson, Mane, Salah, Firmino

• Aston Villa winger Trezeguet gets on the end of a swinging free-kick and pokes home

• Roberto Firmino equaliser chalked off by VAR for offside

• Andrew Robertson levels for Liverpool with three minutes of normal time remaining

• Sadio Mane rescues all three points for Liverpool in the 94th-minute

Liverpool left it late to maintain their six-point advantage at the top of the Premier League on Saturday.

Jurgen Klopp’s men were facing their first defeat of the season with three minutes remaining as they trailed to Trezeguet’s 12th-minute goal for Aston Villa.

It did not look like being Liverpool’s day – Roberto Firmino had an equaliser ruled out by VAR.

However, Andy Robertson levelled in the 87th minute, with Sadio Mane then capping an impressive comeback with the winning goal four minutes into stoppage time.

Title rivals Manchester City won by the same margin – and they were another team who did not have things all their own way in a game they were expected to win, edging Southampton 2-1.

ASTON VILLA 1-2 LIVERPOOL

FT: Liverpool take the points in the most extraordinary of comebacks. Two goals in the final seven minutes have given Jurgen Klopp’s side a valuable three points and restored their six-point advantage over Manchester City, who must have thought they’d reduced the deficit.

ASTON VILLA 1-2 LIVERPOOL – MANE

94: GOAL! Would you believe it. Incredible. Those are the goals that win Premier League titles.

Trent Alexander-Arnold races over to take the corner. He delivers it low and there’s Sadio Mane with a stooping header that flies beyond Tom Heaton. Despair for Aston Villa, ecstasy for Liverpool.

93: Three people standing over this free-kick. Trent wins the battle and sends it over via a deflection. Corner to Liverpool.

92: Liverpool going for the winner now and they have a free-kick in prime position. Nakamba flies in on the Ox and Trent is lining this one up…

90: Five minutes of added time at Villa Park.

ASTON VILLA 1-1 LIVERPOOL – ROBERTSON

87: GOAL! That’s why they are top of the Premier League! Andrew Robertson overlaps down the left and arrives to collect Sadio Mane’s deep cross before firing in off the underside of the crossbar.

Time for a winner? You bet there is!

86: Bjorn Engels to be awarded the freedom of Aston after his performance today. He’s in the right place at the right time to snuff out an Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain effort.

85: Desperate times for Liverpool who, if things stay the same, will see their lead at the top of the Premier League reduced to three. And they have Manchester City next weekend…

Naby Keita on for Adam Lallana.

77: It just won’t go in! Roberto Firmino keeps the ball from rolling over the byline and clips it in for Adam Lallana. The midfielder arrives ready to sweep it home but bizarrely fails to connect properly.

75: Hourihane replaces Douglas Luiz for the closing stages.

73: Chance! Sadio Mane is like a man possessed. The winger once again collects the ball and has a pop from distance. It flies just high and wide.

71: Guilbert replaces Elmohamady for Villa. There’s more bad news for Liverpool I’m afraid with Manchester City now level with Southampton. Sergio Aguero with the goal.

68: Trent nearly has a similar goal to the one he grabbed against Burnley a few months ago as his cross/shot nearly catches Tom Heaton cold.

65: Well… you don’t see that very often. Mohamed Salah has been taken off. He and Georginio Wijnaldum are replaced by Divock Origi and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Obviously Origi isn’t allowed to score until stoppage-time, so someone else will have to grab the first…

63: Another opportunity for Mohamed Salah. Andrew Robertson fizzes one over to the back post where the Egyptian arrives to head over the crossbar from an acute angle.

60: Close! Liverpool getting closer and closer. Trent Alexander-Arnold delivers yet another terrific cross and Sadio Mane forces a good save from Tom Heaton.

57: It’s a day of upsets today. Bayern Munich lost 5-1 to Frankfurt, Manchester City trail at home and now Levante are beating Barcelona 2-1. Will Liverpool be the fourth victim?

Virgil van Dijk booked for tugging back El Ghazi, who was looking to break away. Mohamed Salah has another effort but it’s ghastly.

54: The TV cameras show Jack Grealish watching from the stands. He looks so engrossed as Liverpool enjoy 63 per cent possession. Still no real chances to discuss – Sadio Mane looks the biggest threat by a mile. Barely seen Mohamed Salah touch the ball.

51: Aston Villa have dropped deeper and deeper as Liverpool continue probing. Wijnaldum decides to have a crack from distance that Tom Heaton deals with. Sadio Mane has a similar effort moments later with a similar outcome.

48: Liverpool out with renewed purpose as Roberto Firmino goes close. Sadio Mane drifts a cross over for the Brazilian but the goal-bound effort is blocked by Tyrone Mings.

ASTON VILLA 1-0 LIVERPOOL

45: And we’re back underway at Villa Park. What a historic result this would be if Dean Smith’s side can cling on.

Latest scores: Arsenal 1-0 Wolves, Brighton 0-0 Norwich, Manchester City 0-1 Southampton, West Ham 0-2 Newcastle, Sheffield United 3-0 Burnley.

ASTON VILLA 1-0 LIVERPOOL

HT: And that’s the break. The last time Manchester City and Liverpool both lost on a Saturday afternoon was about a decade ago.

44: No rush or panic in Liverpool’s play. They are still content to pass it around in midfield and stretch this Aston Villa defence. No joy yet with Tyrone Mings and Co. standing firm.

Sadio Mane cuts inside from the left and plays the pass into Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian doesn’t need a second invitation before firing high and wide.

41: Booked! That’s terrible. And it’s even worse that this commentator thinks it’s a penalty. Sadio Mane falls to the floor theatrically inside the box and he’s shown a yellow card for his troubles.

38: Swing and a miss! It’s never not funny. Aston Villa break from a Liverpool corner and John McGinn finds El Ghazi in plenty of space. The winger floats it over for Trezeguet, who completely misses the ball. Would have been a belter.

35: Ironic cheers from Villa fans as Sadio Mane has plenty of options ahead of him but slides it straight out of play instead.

33: Latest scores: Arsenal 1-0 Wolves, Brighton 0-0 Norwich, Manchester City 0-1 Southampton, West Ham 0-2 Newcastle.

30: We’ve reached the half-hour mark and Aston Villa still hold the advantage. The good news for Liverpool is that Manchester City are also trailing to Southampton. Two comebacks required for the title challengers.

28: Disallowed! Wow… Liverpool won’t be happy with that. Not one little bit. Sadio Mane crosses for Roberto Firmino, who has the simplest of tap-ins to draw Jurgen Klopp’s side level. But the flag goes up…

There’s a lengthy VAR check and he looks totally onside… the VAR decision is offside. Madness. Millimetres in that.

27: Liverpool aren’t behind often, but when they are – they usually salvage something. In fact they’ve won seven points from losing positions this season.

24: Just looking back at that opening goal – the Liverpool offside plan simply didn’t work. It’s happened twice today.

ASTON VILLA 1-0 LIVERPOOL – TREZEGUET

21: GOAL! Wait, what?! Aston Villa take the lead through Trezeguet!

There’s a suspicion of offside as John McGinn delivers a free-kick from the left. Two Villa players are offside but Trezeguet isn’t as he pokes home and after a VAR review, the goal stands.

18: Bjorn Engels clears Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross but it drops kindly for Jordan Henderson. He takes one touch, cushions it and sends it into the six-yard box where Sadio Mane arrives to head wide. Should have been the opener.

15: Well don’t get too excited when I say this… but Southampton are leading Manchester City away from home. James Ward-Prowse with the opening goal of the afternoon. Just 80-odd minutes to survive…

13: This has been an impressive opening from Aston Villa – and it’s been without star man Jack Grealish. Trezeguet’s having a blinder, causing all sorts of problems with his energy.

10: No goals anywhere in the Premier League thus far. Sounds like Arsenal are being battered at home to Wolves though.

8: Chance! Trezeguet wins the corner on the break for the hosts. It’s played short to Matt Targett, who swings over a perfect in-swinger from the left. FOUR Villa players are onside waiting but none can guide it on target.

5: Liverpool have recovered from that early wobble. They are keeping the ball well in the midfield areas and attacking down the flanks. Feels a very similar performance to their season opener against Tottenham. Went very close that day.

3: Lightning start from Aston Villa! Anwar El Ghazi is allowed to drive forward under no real pressure and fires an effort on target. Not much venom behind the shot and Alisson makes a simple save.

ASTON VILLA 0-0 LIVERPOOL

1: Y’all ready for this? Liverpool eyeing 31 points from a possible 33. Crazy start to the campaign they’ve had under Jurgen Klopp.

Team news

Adam Lallana replaces Fabinho for leaders Liverpool’s trip to Aston Villa.

It’s the only change for Jurgen Klopp’s side from the victory over Tottenham last weekend while Naby Keita recovered from a knock he suffered in the Carabao Cup win over Arsenal in midweek to be among the substitutes.

Jack Grealish loses his fitness battle as he sits out with a calf injury with Anwar El Ghazi replacing him in Aston Villa’s only change.

The starting XI

We’ll be getting our LIVE coverage underway after the conclusion of Manchester United’s clash at Bournemouth.

Aston Villa XI: Heaton, Guilbert, Mings, Engels, Targett, Nakamba, McGinn, Luiz, Trezeguet, El Ghazi, Wesley.

Subs: Steer, Taylor, Konsa, Elmohamady, Hourihane, Lansbury, Kodjia.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Lallana, Henderson, Mane, Salah, Firmino.

Subs: Adrian, Fabinho, Milner, Keita, Gomez, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Origi.

ASTON VILLA vs LIVERPOOL

Captain Jack Grealish will be back in the Aston Villa squad after overcoming a calf injury.

Keinan Davis (hamstring) is sidelined while Jota (hernia) will resume training on Monday.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp may rest Fabinho as the midfielder is a booking away from missing the Manchester City game. Naby Keita is a doubt after picking up a knock in midweek and centre-back Joel Matip (knee) is out.

Last five league matches: Aston Villa L D W W L; Liverpool W W W D W

Top scorers: Conor Hourihane, Wesley & Jack Grealish (Aston Villa) 4; Sadio Mane (Liverpool) 9

Referee: Jon Moss (W Yorkshire)

Can I watch Aston Villa vs Liverpool today?

Unfortunately, the match won’t be shown on TV as it falls during the UK’s blackout period.

FA regulations prohibit the screening of live football between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on a Saturday.

This also means the game will not be available for streaming.

However, fans living outside of the UK may be able to watch the action.

Head here to find out how to watch Aston Villa vs Liverpool in your country.