A fairytale ending for Roberto Firmino did not include one for Liverpool. The brilliant Brazilian said farewell to Anfield with a 90th-minute equaliser but in the 10 minutes of stoppage time that followed Liverpool were unable to conjure the comeback needed to keep their Champions League dream alive. The Europa League beckons and deservedly so, according to Jürgen Klopp.
A point that keeps Villa on course for a remarkable sixth or seventh place finish – considering where they languished when Unai Emery took over in October – carried more weight for Newcastle and Manchester United than Liverpool. Both would have qualified for the Champions League but for the 110th goal of Firmino’s glorious Liverpool career. Instead, both need a point from their final two games to secure a top-four finish. Liverpool’s prospects are effectively over after a storming run of seven successive Premier League wins was halted by Emery’s improving side.
