Sadio Mane celebrates giving Liverpool the lead against Aston Villa. Picture: PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty ImagesSadio Mane celebrates giving Liverpool the lead against Aston Villa. Picture: PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images
Sadio Mane celebrates giving Liverpool the lead against Aston Villa. Picture: PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images

Liverpool player ratings: Sadio Mane stars but one man gets 4/10 in Aston Villa win

Goals from Joel Matip and Sadio Mane ensured Liverpool moved level on points with Manchester City in the Premier League title race.

Liverpool showed they’re not surrendering their Premier League title bid without a fight as they battled from behind to beat Aston Villa.

Goals from Joel Matip and Sadio Mane ensured the Reds delivered a 2-1 victory at Villa Park.

It meant that Jurgen Klopp’s side moved level on points with Manchester City ahead of their trip to Wolves tomorrow.

Liverpool were shellshocked when they fell behind inside just three minutes.

The Reds’ defending was calamitous, at best, and Douglas Luiz powered home after his header was saved.

But Klopp’s men were back level less than three minutes later.

This time, Villa were all over the place at the back from a set-piece and Matip stroked home into an empty net.

Both sides had their chances before Liverpool got on the front foot in the second period - and got their reward.

Luis Diaz created himself space and picked out Mane, who glanced a superb header into the far corner to ensure the pressure remains on City.

Here’s how we rated the Liverpool players.