Aston Villa delivered a Hollywood finish ahead of Tom Hanks but Jurgen Klopp is hoping for a calmer farewell to Liverpool, writes TOM COLLOMOSSE after a thrilling 3-3 draw

Tom Hanks must have seen many arguments between actors and directors, but even the Hollywood star couldn’t have predicted how this one would end.

With Aston Villa trailing 3-1 and 85 minutes on the clock, Unai Emery was shouting at Jhon Duran, urging his replacement to press and run. As further fed up with being passed over for leading roles, Duran shrugged sulkily at his manager as the club’s Champions League hopes hung in the balance.

Moments later, Duran scored his first and the two were still arguing before the restart. When Duran took advantage of a huge stroke of luck to win his second, Emery danced for joy and Villa enjoyed a happy ending. In the crowd, Villa supporter Hanks was as incredulous as the rest of us.

As for Jurgen Klopp, the Liverpool manager is hoping for a quieter farewell match when his side face Wolves on Sunday as the German bids farewell to Anfield after nine years.

Yet the night was all about Villa. “Let’s go to the Champions League, baby!” » » yelled Emi Martinez to the supporters who remained to thank their team for this great season. They’re not there yet, but they will be if Tottenham fail to beat Manchester City on Tuesday. To think that Duran was only on the field because of an injury to another substitute, Nicolo Zaniolo.

Unai Emery was delighted with his team’s comeback as they looked on course for a defeat

Emi Martinez made a rare error in the opening stages of the match to give Liverpool the lead

It was a rare error from Martinez in a match where Villa could have secured a place in next season’s Champions League.

Villa wasted enough chances to win the match comfortably, but were trailed due to their own errors.

Martinez’s breakaway gave Liverpool an early lead and although Youri Tielemans equalized, Cody Gakpo put the visitors back in front and a stunning miss from Diego Carlos meant they were still ahead at half-time.

When Jarell Quansah headed in just after the break, it looked like Villa were heading for a fourth successive defeat in all competitions – only for Duran to score the unexpected twist.

Despite all the chances they created, Villa looked so tense every time Liverpool had the ball and if Spurs beat City, Emery’s men will need to be a lot more solid if they need a result at Crystal Palace in form on Sunday.

With 79 points on the clock and Champions League football assured, Klopp could afford to be positive, emphasizing that his team had nothing to play for but had displayed a winning attitude.

After their recent wobbles, Villa needed a quick getaway, but instead got off to the worst possible start.

With Lucas Digne back, Harvey Elliott exchanged passes with Mohamed Salah and delivered a cross which clipped Pau Torres but should have been a routine claim for Martinez.

Instead, the Villa keeper found himself in a terrible tangle, spilling the ball and pushing it over the line as he tried to collect it. Villa was stunned.

Salah raced past Digne and saw his shot deflected just wide before Virgil van Dijk placed a free header into the Holte End.

Harvey Elliott celebrates with Mohamed Salah after his cross is deflected towards Martinez

Youri Tielemans against the run of play sent Aston Villa level after good work from Ollie Watkins

Cody Gakpo scored to give the Reds the lead again after 23 minutes of the match.

Yet Villa would get their equalizer soon enough. Ollie Watkins did to Jarell Quansah what Moussa Diaby had done to Joe Gomez moments earlier and Tielemans’ goal from 18 yards was true. With Alisson blocked, the ball went into the net.

With a defensive line as high as a kite, Villa were taking a gamble and sure enough, Liverpool regained the lead when Salah launched it across the field, Luis Diaz found Gomez overlapping and the cross was placed by Martinez in the path of Gakpo, who hit home.

Leon Bailey was Villa’s liveliest player and when he headed past Alexis Mac Allister, Watkins was waiting at the far post and a second equalizer looked certain.

There was a long delay to see if Joe Gomez was offside in the build-up to Gakpo’s goal.

Jarrell Quansah scored a brilliant header to give the Reds a two-goal advantage early in the second half.

Ollie Watkins thought he had scored his 20th Premier League goal of the season, but it was ruled out by VAR.

Somehow, Carlos – from a meter away – managed to get the ball past the far post. It was one of the failures of the season and Villa was not done there.

Two minutes before the break, John McGinn sent Diaby clear and from a central position, the Frenchman failed to even hit the target. Already irritated with Diaby, the home fans’ anger exploded when he attempted a backheel towards Bailey rather than a shot.

After conceding so early in the first half, Villa made the same mistake. Carlos tripped Diaz, Elliott flicked the free-kick to the far post where Quansah got past the much smaller Digne and planted a superb header at the far post.

Duran took advantage of an Alexis Mac Allister to score his first goal, before scoring a fortunate second to bring Villa level

Liverpool surrendered all three points of a comfortable lead in the second half.

Actor Tom Hanks was in attendance and celebrated at the end of Aston Villa’s match in Hollywood.

Jurgen Klopp failed to secure a win in his final away game as Liverpool manager

The chances continued to flow and Villa continued to fail, as Zaniolo shot too close to Alisson shortly after coming on. At the other end, Martinez did well to deny Dominik Szoboszlai and produced an even better save from Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Then Villa found new hope. Seconds after rowing with Emery, substitute Duran headed home from the edge of the box – and promptly had another row with his manager which saw the latter booked.

But there was to be another remarkable chapter as Diaby deflected into midfield and his through ball struck Duran’s thigh and flew past a helpless Alisson. There was still time for Alisson to save from Diaby and Van Dijk to survive a penalty at the end of a sensational evening.