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LIVERPOOL — With just three minutes of regulation time remaining at Goodison Park last night, Aston Villa appeared to be on their way to a priceless victory in their quest for survival in the English Premiership.
However, Everton substitute Theo Walcott shattered those dreams with an 87th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw, the result pushing Marvelous Nakamba and Villa closer to relegation.
The Zimbabwean midfielder was an unused substitute yesterday as manager Dean Smith and his men fought for a win that would have taken them within just a point of both West Ham and Watford who play tonight.
Walcott hasn’t been a regular scorer for Everton and this was only his fifth goal in the last 57 Premiership matches.
Ezri Konsa’s first Premier League goal looked to have earned struggling Villa a crucial win at Goodison Park, the former Brentford defender pouncing from close range after getting on the end of Conor Hourihane’s free-kick.
But Villa were denied a first away win since 1 January when Walcott headed the home side level despite Konsa’s attempted goal-line clearance.
Villa, who were seven points from safety before Sunday’s win over Crystal Palace, remain 19th in the table, three points behind 17th spot, with just two games of the league season left.
They face Arsenal at home next Tuesday before finishing the season at fellow strugglers West Ham on 26 July.
The aim for Smith and his Villa players is to get to the final day of the season still in with a chance of staying up.
But, despite taking four points from the last two games, time is running out for the West Midlands club.
Having seen his side take the lead in the 72nd minute with the game’s first attempt on target, Smith cut a dejected figure at the final whistle as his team failed to defend their advantage. Villa limited their opponents to a handful of chances before a drab affair burst into life when Konsa struck after a lovely set-piece from Hourihane.
However, Villa are the only side without an away clean sheet in the Premier League this season and they once again conceded as three points became one.
Villa have been spared once by goal line technology since football resumed a month ago. It was not to save them again here.
The goal that never was for Sheffield United at Villa Park was the most noteworthy incident of day one of Project Restart and gave Dean Smith’s Villa team a point that may still prove valuable as the relegation scrap reaches its denouement over the next week or so.
Here on Merseyside, though, Villa were heading for three points and a real foothold in pursuit of Watford and West Ham when they were sunk with only three minutes to go.
Leading through a Konsa goal – poked in with a little over 20 minutes to go – Villa were seeking two rarities – back to back wins in the league and a clean sheet away from home.
They hadn’t managed one of the latter all season.
It looked as though they may do it, too, when Dominic Calvert-Lewin turned a great chance wide of Pepe Reina’s right-hand post with 86 minutes on the clock. But when Everton midfielder Andre Gomes, slung a cross deep to the far post two minutes later, substitute Walcott headed the ball high back towards the far post.
There was little power in the header and it seemed to hang in the air for ever. But its flight was too much for Reina and as it dropped under the bar, Konsa was left to try and volley it clear in mid-air. — Mailonline/BBC Sports/Sports Reporter.
Online Reporter