Liverpool moved eight points clear at the top of the Premier League after being held to a gripping draw at Aston Villa.
The Reds have not lost in the Premier League since being beaten 1-0 by Nottingham Forest at Anfield in September, but were almost undone by sloppy defending and a lack of cutting edge.
Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins cancelled out Mohamed Salah’s 29th-minute opener, before Trent Alexander-Arnold levelled 16 minutes after the break.
Having extended their lead over second-placed Arsenal, Arne Slot’s side go to Manchester City on Sunday in what could now be a defining week in the title race.
The Gunners host West Ham on Saturday knowing victory, and a defeat for Liverpool at Etihad Stadium, would put them within striking distance of the leaders with a game in hand.
Villa, with Marcus Rashford starting for the first time, remain in ninth place and five points adrift of the top four.
Rashford was bright for the hosts and his cross was turned into his own net by Virgil van Dijk after 17 minutes, only for the forward to be correctly ruled offside.
Salah then miscued a header, but he was on hand to open the scoring from Diogo Jota’s centre when Andres Garcia’s awful pass gifted the Portuguese forward the ball.
Yet the lead lasted just nine minutes when Tielemans struck after the visitors failed to clear Rashford’s free-kick. After Jota wasted a fine chance, Watkins nodded Villa ahead in first-half injury time following a fine Lucas Digne cross.
Liverpool hit back, though, with Jota hitting the bar before Salah teed up Alexander-Arnold for a deflected low effort that beat Emi Martinez.
Substitute Darwin Nunez missed a golden chance to win it when he blazed over from five yards with 21 minutes left, while Villa’s Jacob Ramsey had a goal disallowed for offside.
Rashford on the road to redemption
All eyes were going to be on Rashford as he made his first start for Villa following his loan arrival from Manchester United.
He had not started a game for over two months – since United’s 2-1 Europa League win at Viktoria Plzen – and has just completed four games this season.
But the forward was central to Villa’s best moments in the first half, his cross deflecting off Van Dijk, only for the offside flag to curtail the celebrations.
Rashford was a willing runner, prepared to track back, make tackles and has settled well at Villa. It was only to be expected to see him substituted midway through the second half as he regains match fitness.
It has been a nervous time for him, coming to a new club when all he has known in his football career is Old Trafford and United’s Carrington training ground, but he has made a good first impression at Villa’s Bodymoor Heath base.
There is clearly a willingness and desire from Rashford to put the past behind him after his struggles on and off the pitch at United and he can only do that by performing for Unai Emery’s men.
He has done that in his opening three appearances for the club and, with Villa having a £40m option to buy the England forward, could have found a happier home.
Salah in a league of his own
The records just keep coming for Salah.
The Egypt international now has 39 goal involvements in the Premier League this season, netting 24 times and assisting 15, having opened the scoring and set up Alexander-Arnold’s leveller at Villa Park.
In the league, 11 teams have scored 38 goals or less – including Villa – leaving Salah in a class of his own this season.
He has also become just the fifth player with more than 15 goals and 15 assists in a Premier League season, along with Eric Cantona, Matt le Tissier, Thierry Henry and Eden Hazard.
The forward is the first player Premier League history to score and assist in 10 different games in one season. Salah is also the first player to do so in one of Europe’s big-five leagues since Lionel Messi in 2014-15 for Barcelona (11).
If his team-mates, especially Nunez, had his quality or composure then Liverpool would have taken a battling victory at Villa Park.
His stellar season comes amid the backdrop of his contract situation at Anfield, with Salah entering the final few months of his current deal – and he is proving his weight in gold this season.
