Liverpool kept their hopes of a quadruple alive as goals from Joel Matip and Sadio Mane ensured they took maximum points off Aston Villa in a cagey 2-1 win.
The Reds sit level on points with Manchester City at the top of the table with just two games left to play and Pep Guardiola's side know if they win their three remaining matches, starting with Wolves on Wednesday night, they'll be crowned champions.
Liverpool were made to work for their victory over Steven Gerrard's men this evening though and found themselves a goal down inside three minutes with Douglas Luiz opening the scoring on what was his 100th Premier League appearance.
The visitors were quick to respond through unlikely scorer Matip. Villa failed to clear their lines from a Liverpool attack just three minutes later and after Virgil van Dijk's effort was saved, his centre-back partner was on hand to tap home from close range.
Villa and Liverpool both squandered easy chances throughout and with Mohamed Salah benched, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Mane were left trying to find another breakthrough.
It was the latter who eventually combined with Diaz in the second half to score his 15th Premier League goal of the season, the Senegalese heading home from six yards after his team-mate's inch-perfect cross.
A vital three points for the Reds keeps the pressure on City, although as Klopp now turns his attention to Saturday's FA Cup final with Chelsea he'll be hoping Fabinho is fit to play after being forced off with what looked like a hamstring injury in the first half.
Aston Villa vs. Liverpool final score
| 1H | 2H | Final | |
| Aston Villa | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Liverpool | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Goals:
Aston Villa: Douglas Luiz (3)
Liverpool: Joel Matip (6), Sadio Mane (65)
Aston Villa vs. Liverpool updates and highlights: as it happened
FULL-TIME: Liverpool had to withstand plenty of Villa pressure but Klopp's men hold on to take a vital three points. It's now over to City, who play Wolves on Wednesday night.
90th min: Liverpool are still living dangerously. Buendia has a chance but his header from the near post from a corner is glanced over.
86th min: Seconds after forcing Alisson into a save from a tight angle, the striker has the ball in the back of the net but it's ruled offside and he barely celebrates, knowing the flag was going to be raised.
84th min: Keita almost makes up for his mis-kick in the first half with a spectacular half-volley from outside the box but it flys just wide.
82nd min: A last throw of the dice for Gerrard and his team as he sends Bertrand Traore on up front to replace Watkins.
78th min: Alexander-Arnold has been quiet by his standards tonight and shortly after getting forward to fizz a ball into the box, he's back down the other end putting an end to a rare Villa attack.
71st min: Salah is on for Diaz and almost scores with his second touch... but his first touch takes it into Martinez's hands having run onto a lofted ball. That would have been quite the impact.
69th min: Liverpool are far from home and dry here. Ings is causing all sorts of problems for the Reds' backline and after bursting through, his heavy touch forces a save from Alisson. Buendia is on for Coutinho.
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65th min: GOAL!
Mane gets on the scoresheet with his 15th goal of the season from a headed cross from Diaz. Some neat work down the left hand side saw Diaz whip the ball into the unmarked 30-year-old who headed it past Martinez with ease.
62nd min: Well Klopp has made a change but it's not the Egyptian. Thiago is on for Jones.
58th min: It can't be long before we see Salah brought on surely? Liverpool need their star man on if they're to get maximum points here.
53rd min: A crucial tackle from Tsimikas denies Watkins a clear chance on goal inside the box. Villa have come out of the blocks quickest in the second half with Liverpool yet to get going.
49th min: It's not often Van Dijk is given the runaround but Coutinho has just breezed past the Dutchman on the counter. He slips at the crucial point though and the attack breaks down.
Back underway!
HT: A chaotic opening six minutes made for a lively start and both teams have created chances since but the two sides head into the break level.
43rd min: Curtis Jones is gifted the ball after a poor pass from Nakamba but his tame effort from the edge of the box fails to test Martinez.
40th min: A few big tackles are flying in now and Diaz comes off worse in one aerial clash with Digne as he goes down holding his face. Referee Jon Moss has the Villa fans booing his decision to award a foul.
35th min: A golden chance from Keita is squandered. Trent Alexander-Arnold puts it on a plate for the midfielder with a delightful cross only for him to completely mis-kick the ball from six yards and Villa clear.
32nd min: Naby Keita plays through Diaz who squares it to Mane who then taps into an empty net but the Colombian was way offside and the goal is ruled out.
28th min: Fabinho is having an absolute nightmare in the middle of the park with several poor touches and loose passes. He then goes down with what appears to be a hamstring injury and club captain Jordan Henderson comes on to replace him with Klopp forced into an early change.
24th min: John McGinn delivers a perfect cross into the box which Danny Ings beats Alisson to only for his header to go just over. A nervy few minutes for the Brazilian shot-stopper.
22nd min: Heart in mouth stuff from Alisson. Fabinho passes the ball back to the goalkeeper who attempts to play it back to him but hits it straight at Ollie Watkins and Alisson slips before getting rid. A very, very lucky escape.
19th min: The closest Mane has come to scoring. Tsimikas again delivers a dangerous cross into the box and the Senegalese manages to out jump Minds but his header goes just wide of the post.
17th min: Tsimikas whips in a free-kick to the back post but Diaz sees his header blocked and Cash clears.
12th min: Villa aren't slowing down. This time Matty Cash drives forward and puts an inviting low cross into the box which Matip deals with before Digne blasts the ball over the bar from range.
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6th min: GOAL!
An immediate response from the Reds courtesy of Joel Matip. Tyrone Mings fails to clear his lines in the box and after Virgil van Dijk's cross was saved, Matip tapped in from close range. Just two minutes and 39 seconds between the goals. A lively start.
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3rd min: GOAL!
What a start from the home side - Douglas Luiz opens the scoring to stun Liverpool in the early stages. Alisson saved his countryman's initial header but the midfielder followed up to slot it past the goalkeeper.
We're underway!
2min to KO: It's almost kick-off time as Manchester City fans tune in to see if Villa can do them a huge favour. Pep Guardiola claimed 'everyone in this country supports Liverpool' after his side beat Newcastle on Sunday but rest assured there's plenty (mainly Everton fans!) cheering on Gerrard's men this evening.
15 mins to KO: Expect plenty of South American flair on show in the Midlands tonight with Brazilian star Fabinho tasked with keeping fellow countryman Coutinho quiet in the middle of the park. On the wing, Douglas Luiz, who makes his 100th Premier League appearance tonight, will have his work cut out up against Colombian star Diaz.
40 mins to KO: Klopp has made five changes to the team that drew with Spurs with the big decision being to start Salah on the bench.
Naby Keita, Curtis Jones, Diogo Jota, Konstantinos Tsimikas and Joel Matip all come into the side to replace Salah, Ibrahima Konate, Andy Robertson, Jordan Henderson and Thiago.
As for Villa, former Red Philippe Coutinho has been recalled to the starting XI. He joins Marvelous Nakamba with Calum Chambers and Emiliano Buendia dropped to the bench.
1 hour to KO: The teams are in...
1 hour 10 mins to KO: Luis Diaz came to Liverpool's rescue last time out but will Salah be the man of the moment tonight? Salah has scored 30 goals for Liverpool in all competitions this campaign, one short of his total for the Reds last season. But the Egyptian has failed to score in 11 of his last 12 club appearances. He currently tops the Golden Boot standings on 22 league goals - two clear of Tottenham's Heung-min Son.
1 hour 35 mins to KO: Klopp will be looking for a response from his players after their 1-1 draw with Tottenham on Saturday and conceded in the aftermath that he can't see City dropping points in their final three games.
'I can't see it,' said Klopp when asked if City might drop points. 'I wish I could think differently but I can't see it. My problem is not whether City smash Newcastle. It's Aston Villa on Tuesday.'
Gerrard won't be rolling over for his old side that's for sure and they head into tonight's match off the back of comfortable wins over Norwich and Burnley. Team news to follow in half an hour.
2 hours to KO: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News' live coverage of tonight's Premier League clash between Aston Villa and Liverpool ,where the visitors' quest for a quadruple remains alive - just. Anything but a victory against their former captain Steven Gerrard would surely end their quest for a 20th league title.