Firmino says farewell to Anfield with late leveller against Villa
FOND FAREWELL: Liverpool's Roberto Firmino scores their side's first goal of the game during the Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool. Pic: Peter Byrne/PA Wire
ROBERTO Firmino marked his last Anfield appearance with an 89th minute equaliser that kept alive Liverpool’s faint hopes of a top-four finish - mathematically, at least.
The Brazilian’s goal means Liverpool can still qualify for the Champions League if they win their final game at Southampton next week - but only if Manchester United and/or Newcastle each lose their remaining two games.
It means Liverpool are still highly likely to miss out on Europe’s top competition, for the first time since 2016-17, as Jurgen Klopp watched from the stands and Mo Salah’s cross was turned in from close range by the Brazilian substitute.
Earlier, John Brooks, the referee involved in putting Klopp in the stands for this contest, had disallowed a potential “equaliser” for the Reds from Cody Gakpo, after Jacob Ramsey’s first-half opener.
Klopp was serving a one-match touchline ban following his behaviour after the recent dramatic win over Tottenham when he celebrated in the face of Brooks, then the fourth official.
Yesterday, Brooks’ correct decision to rule out a second half “goal” from Gakpo looked like eliminating Liverpool from the top four until the dramatic finish.
Liverpool were attempting to ensure their participation for what could still be a seventh-successive season of Champions League football.
But, after a bright start of high energy pressing but few chances, they could have gone behind on 20 minutes when John McGinn’s through ball exposed gaps in the Liverpool defence.
Ollie Watkins chased through and Ibrahima Konate, a step behind, tripped him clumsily, with VAR confirming referee Brooks’ on-field decision.
Watkins himself took the kick but produced an appalling attempt which passed well wide of the right-hand post.
The disappointment of that miss did not take long to be forgotten, however, with Ramsey shooting his team into a deserved lead just seven minutes later.
Liverpool had a number of chances to clear, following a Villa set-piece, before Douglas Luiz collected the ball outside the area and delivered a far-post cross which Ramsey converted superbly.
But while the VAR played no major role in the opening goal, the extraofficial, Tony Harrington, was busy the rest of the day.
In first half injury time, VAR concluded that Tyrone Mings deserved no more than a yellow card despite a high foul on Gakpo.
And before the half-time whistle, VAR denied Liverpool a penalty after appeals for a foul by Douglas Luiz on Jordan Henderson in the visitors’ area.
But the major bone of contention came on 54 minutes when Gakpo thought he had equalised for Liverpool, thrashing a loose ball into the goal after Mings had cleared a Konate shot off the line.
Replays showed Gakpo had been offside earlier in the move, however, and after Brooks trotted to the touchline to check the screen, he disallowed the goal.
With Liverpool playing their last game at Anfield this season, the pre-match build-up had focused on fans saying farewell to James Milner, Firmino, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita, who will all leaving the club this summer.
Milner and Firmino were thrown on late, as Klopp chased a goal, with the latter involved in setting up a good 73rd minute chance which Trent Alexander-Arnold drove straight at keeper Emiliano Martinez.
Alisson 6; Alexander-Arnold 5, Konate 5, van Dijk 6, Robertson 6 (Tsimikas 72, 5); Jones 6 (Jota 63, 5), Fabinho 6 (Elliott 81), Henderson 5 (Milner 72, 5); Salah 6, Gakpo 7, Diaz 5 (Firmino 72, 5). Substitutes (not used) Gomez, Carvalho, Matip, Kelleher.
Martinez 7; Cash 7, Konsa 7, Mings 7, Digne 6 (Young 53, 6); Kamara 6, Luiz 8 (Dendoncker 86); Bailey 6 (Moreno 53; Buendia 65, 6), McGinn 7, Ramsey 7; Watkins 6 (Duran 86). Substitutes (not used) Traore, Olsen, Sinisalo.
J Brooks 7
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