Liverpool fell to a 12th Premier League defeat of the season against Aston Villa with Virgil van Dijk scoring but a Dominik Szoboszlai slip proving costly. This is what we spotted.
21:57, 15 May 2026Updated 22:04, 15 May 2026
Liverpoool head coach Arne Slot.
Liverpoool head coach Arne Slot.(Image: Darren Staples / AFP via Getty Images)
VILLA PARK, BIRMINGHAM // Liverpool was made to wait until the final day of the season to wrap up qualification for the Champions League, suffering a 12th defeat in the Premier League this term — and this time a hefty one at the hands of Aston Villa.
After an even first 45 minutes, Morgan Rogers curled an effort past Giorgi Mamardashvili to break the deadlock. Ollie Watkins had gone close earlier on, but Liverpool had lacked much in the way of attacking threat.
Virgil van Dijk headed the Reds level from a Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick, but the latter later slipped to allow Watkins to restore the home side's lead and he later grabbed a second. Here are the four things Liverpool.com spotted as the game unfolded and John McGinn curled in a fourth for Aston Villa to cap another sorry outing.
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Familiar Liverpool tale
Qualifying for the Champions League, in the context of such a difficult season, would represent something of an achievement for Liverpool. It has felt on the verge for some time, and yet, it is not mathematically secured yet.
With the defeats mounting, it is in some ways a miracle that it is still a possibility.
Arne Slot admitted before this game — Liverpool's last away fixture of a tough campaign — that his side's performances away from home have simply not been good enough in recent months.
That is a major area to target for improvement heading into next season. And being fitter — and therefore harder to play through — would be a good place to start.
Tepid up top and lacking much in the way of creativity and speed in the final third, there was not much to shout about. Neither of the full-backs was able to make much of an impact and Liverpool was, once again, too open defensively.
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - MAY 15: Ezri Konsa of Aston Villa has his shirt ripped as he battles for position with Alexis Mac Allister of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Liverpool at Villa Park on May 15, 2026 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Alexis Mac Allister clashed with Ezri Konsa during Liverpool's game against Aston Villa(Image: Getty Images)
Arne Slot attack lacking
The decision to take off Rio Ngumoha was booed at Anfield a week ago, though it later transpired that the winger was tired and needed to be replaced. He lasted the full game here, and was the liveliest of a not-particularly-good bunch.
The jeers spoke to two things: firstly, that the teenager is so highly thought of by so many people, and secondly, that there is a lack of patience among the Liverpool fanbase for Arne Slot.
Ngumoha was in again from the off here, in part due to the absence of more senior options. In starting, the 17-year-old equaled the record for the most appearances by a Liverpool player while aged under 18, alongside Michael Owen.
Coming up against the experienced Matty Cash, though, Ngumoha couldn't beat his man many times. John McGinn, playing off the right, was quick to get back and double up too.
It was often a frustrating outing for him down the left, though he did hit the post. It was a valuable learning curve. Ultimately, Liverpool was lacking more senior options to turn to (or at least put in around him) and that proved costly.
In conjunction with some more unconvincing defending, it was a pretty bad mix.
Rio Ngumoha during Aston Villa vs Liverpool.
Rio Ngumoha during Aston Villa vs Liverpool.(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Liverpool transfer need clear
It has been a miserable first season for Alexander Isak. Out here with a minor injury — at the same time as Hugo Ekitike's major one and with Mohamed Salah only able to make the bench — the Liverpool attack was really short.
Next year, with a full summer for Isak to finally get back up to speed, and with another injection of quality in the transfer market, things should look different.
Once again, the need for more speed and quality in wide areas was glaring, however. Even when Isak and Ekitike are both firing, that can only be fully addressed by making some additions.
For now, though, assuming that a Champions League spot is eventually wrapped up, Liverpool simply needs the campaign to end. It needs a hard reset.
Aston Villa offered more in the final third but this was a game with little to shout about for the Reds throughout. It's been a familiar tale for Liverpool across the last few months.
One step closer to a reset
There was some talk that Aston Villa would have one eye on next week's Europa League final here, but there are places in the team in Istanbul up for grabs, and this was the final home game of the season for the Villans, who named their strongest team.
"We are with the same points as Liverpool, and that's something fantastic and something that we must be so proud of," Unai Emery said before kick-off. "Now it's about how we can test ourselves, playing against them."
As much as Champions League qualification and a top-five place could have been secured by Liverpool here, the same was true of Aston Villa, which shouldn't be forgotten.
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Liverpool needs to just get the final fixture of the season out of the way, get into the top five by hook or by crook, and then go again. It is, at least, one step closer to the finish line; that was the only positive.