Liverpool 2 Aston Villa 2 - match report and pictures

Andi Weimann and Christian Benteke put the claret and blues in control during a dominant first-half.

Daniel Sturridge hauled the hosts back into it in first-half stoppage time before Steven Gerrard levelled from the spot after Luis Suarez was felled by Brad Guzan after the break.

Gabby Agbonlahor missed a golden first minute chance and Ciaran Clark hit the post as Villa threatened to run riot during the first period at Anfield.

It was one of their best – and most complete – displays of the season and they merited a least a point to put them 10th in the Premier League.

Ryan Bertrand made and instant Villa debut, replacing Antonio Luna, after signing on loan from Chelsea yesterday.

Andi Weimann and Leandro Bacuna also returned for the concussed Nathan Baker with Matt Lowton left out entirely with new-boy Grant Holt on the bench.

Sturridge partnered Suarez up front, his first Liverpool start since early November, but despite their firepower the hosts were second best in the first half.

Villa set the tone for the first half when they pinned Liverpool back and should have scored inside two minutes.

Benteke flicked on Leandro Bacuna's ball to send Agbonlahor clean through but the striker could only stab wide with just Simon Mignolet to beat.

The hosts were ragged at the back as Weimann and Benteke found gaps in the backline with Villa dominating the midfield as Gerrard struggled against their tempo.

Ashley Westwood shot straight at Mignolet and Weimann fired over – the chances coming after Gerrard twice lost the ball. Villa came agonisingly close to opening the scoring on 23 minutes when Clark thumped a header against the post from Ashley Westwood's corner.

But three minutes later they got the goal they deserved when Villa broke with menace, Agbonlahor left Kolo Toure for dead, raced into the area and Weimann tapped in his cross.

It stunned the Kop as Villa dictated with Liverpool on the rocks.

The underworked Guzan parried Raheem Sterling's angled volley but Villa continued to boss the game and went 2-0 up nine minutes before half time.

Agbonlahor was again the creator when Mignolet missed his cross from the right and Benteke headed into an empty net.

Cissokho blazed wide four minutes before the break – after good work from Suarez – but Villa were comfortable, until the hosts pulled a goal back in stoppage time.

Suarez found Jordan Henderson and his flick teed up Sturridge to chip over Guzan and haul Liverpool back into the game.

And just eight minutes after the break Liverpool levelled when Suarez was found by Gerrard and Guzan sent him tumbling in the area.

It was a soft penalty but referee Jon Moss was left with little choice and Gerrard converted to change the atmosphere inside Anfield.

It was a further blow after Holt had already replaced Agbonlahor, injured after falling over the advertising boards in the first half.

Liverpool had new life and Guzan superbly stopped Henderson's low effort before Sterling shot wide.

But Villa withstood the pressure and settled, without creating serious openings after being robbed of Agbonlahor's pace.

Liverpool also failed to conjure any clear chances despite late pressure and Guzan deflected a Suarez cross away in injury time.