Roberto Firmino salvaged a late point for Liverpool against Aston Villa.
Jurgen Klopp’s side avoided an early setback when Ibrahima Konate bundled Ollie Watkins in the penalty area as the striker dragged his spot kick wide.
Jacob Ramsey put the Villains just five minutes later by meeting Douglas Luiz’s cross to the far post with a low volley which beat Alisson comfortably.
Jurgen Klopp’s side avoided an early setback when Ibrahima Konate bundled Ollie Watkins in the penalty area as the striker dragged his spot kick wide.
Jacob Ramsey put the Villains just five minutes later by meeting Douglas Luiz’s cross to the far post with a low volley which beat Alisson comfortably.
A potential equaliser for the Reds by Cody Gakpo early in the second half was soon dashed by a VAR review that deemed Virgil van Dijk had been offside.
But substitute Firmino signed off with a goal in his 361st and last appearance by sliding home in front of The Kop in the final minute of normal time.
Here were the key talking points from Anfield:
Firmino gets his fairy tale ending
It just had to be him, didn’t it?
Even before a ball had even been kicked on Saturday, Roberto Firmino’s name appeared to be on the lips of everyone inside Anfield of the red persuasion.
The outgoing Liverpool forward had to settle for a farewell appearance from the substitutes’ bench as Jurgen Klopp named an unchanged starting line-up.
With the pursuit of a Champions League place still attainable if his side could overcome a resurgent Aston Villa, any sentimentality was temporarily on hold.
But Firmino has never been guilty of taking a place with the Reds for granted.
Following his second-half introduction, alongside fellow departee James Milner, the Brazilian set about trying to produce one last act of heroism.
At the end of normal time, Firmino finally delivered what is set to be his final headline moment; sliding home Mohamed Salah’s cutback in front of The Kop.
Liverpool’s no.9 leaves, as things stand, with a nice round tally of 110 goals to his name after eight years, seven trophies alongside a lifetime of memories.
Few inside the stadium could begrudge him adding another to the collection.
A potential equaliser for the Reds by Cody Gakpo early in the second half was soon dashed by a VAR review that deemed Virgil van Dijk had been offside.
But substitute Firmino signed off with a goal in his 361st and last appearance by sliding home in front of The Kop in the final minute of normal time.
Here were the key talking points from Anfield:
Firmino gets his fairy tale ending
It just had to be him, didn’t it?
Even before a ball had even been kicked on Saturday, Roberto Firmino’s name appeared to be on the lips of everyone inside Anfield of the red persuasion.
The outgoing Liverpool forward had to settle for a farewell appearance from the substitutes’ bench as Jurgen Klopp named an unchanged starting line-up.
With the pursuit of a Champions League place still attainable if his side could overcome a resurgent Aston Villa, any sentimentality was temporarily on hold.
But Firmino has never been guilty of taking a place with the Reds for granted.
Following his second-half introduction, alongside fellow departee James Milner, the Brazilian set about trying to produce one last act of heroism.
At the end of normal time, Firmino finally delivered what is set to be his final headline moment; sliding home Mohamed Salah’s cutback in front of The Kop.
Liverpool’s no.9 leaves, as things stand, with a nice round tally of 110 goals to his name after eight years, seven trophies alongside a lifetime of memories.
Few inside the stadium could begrudge him adding another to the collection.
Klopp’s latest touchline ban denied him a ringside seat for only the second time this seasson but given what unfolded, perhaps it was for the best.
The Liverpool manager has hardly enjoyed a cordial relationship with referees of late and John Brooks is unlikely to prove an outlier on this latest evidence.
Had Klopp been in the Leicestershire official’s direct line of sight, he may have been on the receiving end of a third Football Association disciplinary charge.
His decisions routinely drew the Anfield crowd’s ire, not least after Tyrone Mings avoided a red card for a reckless chest-high challenge on Cody Gakpo.
VAR decided the England defender’s original booking should stand while the technology saw Brooks disallow Gakpo’s second-half equaliser after a review.
The 33-year-old also took a lenient view towards Emi Martinez’s persistent time-wasting, only sanctioning the goalkeeper with a 77th-minute caution.
Undoubtedly more by accident than design, the recent refusal by officialdom to award decisions in a partisan Anfield’s favour could be considered a trend.
