Aston Villa drew 3-3 with Liverpool, moving closer to securing a spot in the Champions League as Jhon Duran scored a late double to deny the Reds.

Aston Villa and Liverpool played out a thrilling 3-3 draw at Villa Park, with Jhon Duran emerging as the hero for the home side.

Villa found themselves 1-0 down early on when Emiliano Martinez fumbled Harvey Elliott’s deflected cross into his own net. However, they quickly equalized through Youri Tielemans before Cody Gakpo restored Liverpool’s lead. The first half ended with no further goals, despite Villa’s Diego Carlos missing a golden opportunity.

Liverpool extended their lead to 3-1 early in the second half when Jarell Quansah scored his first-ever Premier League goal. Villa looked destined for defeat until Duran came off the bench and scored twice in the last five minutes to salvage a point for his team.

The result leaves Villa in fourth place, five points clear of Tottenham with one game remaining. Tottenham must win their match against Manchester City to keep the race for the final Champions League spot alive until the last day of the season. Villa will face a tough trip to Crystal Palace in their final game, while Liverpool, who have secured third place, will host Wolves.

Villa were hoping to bounce back from their Europa Conference League semi-final exit and secure fourth place in the Premier League. Although they didn’t get the win they needed, their draw against Liverpool puts them tantalizingly close to Champions League football.

Duran’s late heroics have put Villa in a strong position, and they now await the result of Tottenham’s match against Manchester City. Anything other than a win for Tottenham will confirm Villa’s place in Europe’s premier competition for the 2024-25 season.

Duran was the standout player of the match, coming off the bench and scoring two crucial goals to rescue a point for Villa. His impact has put all the pressure on Tottenham in the race for fourth place.

In terms of player ratings, Duran received an impressive 8, while Martinez, Tielemans, Bailey, Diaby, and Watkins all performed well for Villa. For Liverpool, Gakpo was their standout player with a rating of 7.

The match highlights included Martinez’s own goal, Tielemans’ equalizer, Gakpo’s goal to restore Liverpool’s lead, and Quansah’s impressive header. Duran’s goals in the 85th and 88th minutes completed Villa’s comeback and secured a 3-3 draw.

Overall, it was a thrilling match that showcased Villa’s resilience and determination to secure Champions League football.