For the second game in their last three, Liverpool drew 2-2 - this time at Aston Villa to go eight points clear of Arsenal in the Premier League table.

Paul Joyce, of The Times, focuses on the glaring second-half miss by Darwin Nunez, writing: "Arne Slot rocked back in expectation of the net bulging and then, a split second later, forward in disbelief, covering his face with his hands as he did so.

"Not for the first time in his fitful Liverpool career Darwin Nunez had been responsible for driving his manager to sheer distraction and the ramifications could immediately be felt.



Instead of a 10-point lead at the top of the Premier League table, Liverpool’s cushion is eight.

'Arne Slot feeling the heat' - National media reacts as Liverpool can only draw with Aston Villa	Champions League last 16: All you need to know as Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa wait to find out their next opponents in Friday's draw	Champions League last 16 confirmed: All you need to know as Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa wait to find out their next opponents in Friday's draw

"It remains a considerable lead and Slot’s side are unbeaten in 22 league matches but, for the second Wednesday in succession, they would have felt they could have claimed more than a 2-2 draw.

"In the 69th minute the visitors cut through Aston Villa and Dominik Szoboszlai eschewed the chance to be the hero himself by squaring to the far post where the ball evaded Axel Disasi and found Nunez.

"The Uruguayan, not long into the game as a substitute, stretched out his left boot but from six yards managed to send the ball over the crossbar.

Villa Park howled remorselessly.

"It was not as bad as Ronny Rosenthal’s infamous miss for Liverpool here back in 1992 yet epitomised what was frequently a slipshod display from Slot’s side who were neither clinical in attack nor assured in defence."

On The Telegraph's pages, John Percy, on a similar theme, writes: "Liverpool supporters of a certain vintage will remember an infamous miss by Ronny Rosenthal at Villa Park over 30 years ago.

Arne Slot could barely comprehend what had unfolded, and with it the chance of extending Liverpool’s lead at the top to 10 points ultimately disappeared."

On The Mirror's pages, John Cross mused: "Now it is beginning to feel like a wobble.

"It was summed up by Darwin Nunez’s incredible miss as the Liverpool striker blazed over with a Ronny Rosenthal style howler.

The salvation is that no-one else looks good enough or consistent enough to reel them back in because even Arsenal have not got a natural striker in their ranks."

The Independent's Pete Hall trains his focus on Nunez's miss, writing: "Ten points clear with 12 games to go would have almost certainly put Liverpool, without a completely convincing title rival, on course for a second Premier League title before February is even out.

"But Darwin’s gonna Darwin.
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