The Reds dropped points on the road for the second game running, again playing out a 2-2 draw a week on from conceding a last-goal against Everton in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
Mo Salah put Liverpool 1-0 up in the first half but Villa ended the opening 45 minutes strongly and turned it around with goals from Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins.
Trent Alexander-Arnold levelled matters just after the hour mark and not long after Liverpool had an incredible opportunity to go 3-2 up.
Nunez had been brought on for Diogo Jota moments earlier and with an open goal presented to him, he somehow managed to blaze a golden chance over the bar with his left foot.
The Uruguayan has been guilty of wasteful finishing ever since he signed from Benfica in 2022 but manager Arne Slot was left in disbelief over how he managed to miss at the far post.
Darwin Nunez misses a golden opportunity to put Liverpool ahead 😬
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/8f0rFedPHs
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 19, 2025
However, some Liverpool supporters pointed the finger at midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, who elected to cross the ball to Nunez after being played through in behind by Conor Bradley.
They felt as though the Hungarian ought to have shot instead of trying to turn provider.
One said: “Still don’t get why Szoboszlai didn’t shoot.”
Another agreed, stating: “Nunez miss was terrible but Dom’s decision was weird.”
A third added: “He bottled it. Didn’t fancy it, lacked confidence and composure. When running at full pelt with a defender alongside you, and the ball gets fizzed across, I’ve seen many players miss those.”
A fourth commented: “Huge gap to the left of Martinez. Perfectly set up too. The harder ball is Darwin.”
A fifth and final user wrote: “Szoboszlai shoots in training but when it comes to an actual game, he chickens out.”
Arne Slot responds
Legendary Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler expressed the same view that Szoboszlai should have shot when analysing the miss for TNT Sports.
However, Slot was not on the same page and had no complaints about Szoboszlai opting to square it, backing the former RB Leipzig man.
“[Szoboszlai] made the perfect choice to pass it,” Slot said in his press conference.
“It was a big chance. Very unlucky and I was hoping he could have got another one, because a player like him probably wouldn’t miss two chances in a row, he was very close afterwards.”
Liverpool are back in action on Sunday when they travel to take on Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in a massive game for both sides.
