Sadio Mane rescues Liverpool against valiant Villa

 

Senegal international Sadio Mane was last minute hero as he  the Reds’ from  Aston Villa on Saturday

The forward’s stoppage-time header earned a thrilling 2-1 win just as Jurgen Klopp’s side looked like losing their unbeaten Premier League record.

Andrew Robertson had equalised with just three minutes left to cancel out Trezeguet’s first-half opener for the hosts.

Klopp saw his unbeaten side maintain their six-point lead at the top after Manchester City’s 2-1 comeback win over Southampton.

The top two face off at Anfield next Sunday after they both narrowly avoided upsets on Saturday.

Liverpool’s last visit to Villa Park saw them thump Villa 6-0 with the hosts waving the white flag en route to an embarrassing relegation three years ago.

But they faced a different, resurgent Villa this time, underlined by the way Anwar El Ghazi bundled his way through to fire at Alisson Becker after 31 seconds.

The Reds had barely threatened yet carved out the best early chance when, from Jordan Henderson’s lobbed cross, a stretching Mane headed wide from six yards.

A minute later Tom Heaton pushed away Mohamed Salah’s angled volley, only for Villa to take the lead after 21 minutes.

Battling Villa refused to buckle, putting their bodies on the line to keep Liverpool at bay – until the 87th minute.

Mane’s deep cross found the unmarked Robertson and the Scot headed in at the far post from close range.

Then, in the fourth minute of injury time, Mane glanced in Alexander-Arnold’s corner to win it.