Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai of Liverpool look dejected
Liverpool could lose ground on the race for Champions League football at losing to Wolves(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
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Aston Villa head into this evening's match with Chelsea, bouyed by Liverpool's disheartening loss in the Premier League to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Just like Villa did in their last outing, the Reds found Molineux to be a surprisingly difficult place to visit as Arne Slot's side conceded a last-minute winner, potentially jeopardising their Champions League qualification.
Mohamed Salah swiftly equalised Rodrigo Gomes' initial goal for the Reds after a lacklustre first 65 minutes. However, despite gaining momentum, Liverpool conceded in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Andre's shot deflected off Joe Gomez and past Alisson.
The defeat leaves the reigning champions in fifth place, trailing Villa and Manchester United by three points. A win for Chelsea against Villa on Wednesday would see Liam Rosenior's team leapfrog them into the potential final Champions League qualification spot.
With Champions League and FA Cup fixtures on the horizon, this is how the schedule stacks up.
Aston Villa (4th place, 51 points)
Chelsea (H) - Wed 4 March (7.30pm) - Premier League.
Lille (A) - Thurs 12 March (5.45pm) - Europa League.
Manchester United (A) - Sun 15 March (2pm) - Premier League.
Lille (H) - Thurs 19 March (8pm) - Europa League.
West Ham (H) - Sun 22 March (2.15pm) - Premier League.
Villa were once considered strong favourites to secure Champions League football, but a string of disappointing results has seen them drop to fourth. Tonight's clash with Chelsea could prove pivotal in the battle for a top-four finish.
Liverpool (5th place, 48 points)
Wolves (A) - Fri 6 March (8pm) - FA Cup.
Galatasaray (A) - Tue 10 March (5.45pm) - Champions League.
Tottenham (H) - Sun 15 March (4:30pm) - Premier League.
Galatasaray (H) - Wed 18 March (8pm) - Champions League.
Brighton (A) - Sat 21 March (12.30pm) - Premier League.
The unexpected defeat at Wolves concludes a streak of four consecutive victories for Liverpool. This weekend's FA Cup rematch at Molineux provides a respite from league action, but a challenging double-header against Galatasaray looms.
Chelsea (6th place, 45 points)
Aston Villa (A) - Weds 4 March (7:30pm) - Premier League.
Wrexham (A) - Sat 7 March (5:45pm) - FA Cup.
PSG (A) - Wed 11 March (8pm) - Champions League.
Newcastle (H) - Sat 14 March (5:30pm) - Premier League.
Everton (A) - Sat 21 March (5:30pm) - Premier League.
On paper, Chelsea faces perhaps the toughest schedule, particularly with four of their next five fixtures taking place away from Stamford Bridge. Securing a positive result at Villa Park would provide a significant boost to their Champions League ambitions.
Federico Chiesa
Federico Chiesa looks dejected after Andre scored(Image: Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
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Man Utd (3rd place, 51 points)
Newcastle (A) - Weds 4 March (8:15pm) - Premier League.
Aston Villa (H) - Sun 15 March (2pm) - Premier League.
Bournemouth (A) - Fri 20 March (8pm) - Premier League.
Leeds United (H) - Sat 11 April (3pm) - Premier League.
Chelsea (A) - Sat 18 April (3pm) - Premier League
With United out of all domestic competitions, March is relatively quiet compared to their top four rivals. They have the upper hand and following Liverpool's loss at Wolves, a win could create some much-needed distance between themselves and their competitors.