The Reds’ U19s had the better of the chances at the Kirkby Academy but the two teams were unable to be separated as the visitors, under former Anfield goalkeeper Pepe Reina, earned a point.
Liverpool started on the front foot, captain Will Wright shooting over from the edge of the box after a well-worked move forward.
Oliver O’Connor threatened with an effort wide of the mark and Mor Talla Ndiaye also forced a save with a powerful header.
Wright’s low ball then found the run of Finn Inglethorpe across the six-yard box, but the striker was unable to work his sliding attempt on target.
After the early pressure, Villarreal found their feet in the fixture and began to make inroads into working their own openings in the final third.
Goalkeeper Bailey Hall first had to halt a low drive from Raul Garcia from outside the box, ahead of throwing himself to his left to stop a snapshot from Carrasco Gonzalez.
Liverpool started the second half on top and Wright again threatened from an O’Connor cross, though he was unable to work the chance on target with his chest.
Substitute AJ Yeguo twice got down the visitors’ left side, delivering on both occasions in dangerous fashion.
Josh Sonni-Lambie also threatened with a shot that required a strong save, before getting on the end of an Alvin Ayman cross with a well-timed volley that flew the wrong side of the post.
Villarreal did offer a response via Moussa Traore, who could not keep down a half-volley from inside the box.
Liverpool continued to be the more likely of the two teams to break the deadlock and Wright was proving a handful.
He saw a shot blocked by the retreating defence that fell into the path of Inglethorpe, but the forward could only prod wide under pressure.
Wright then jumped highest following a short-corner routine to head over the bar from in close as more opportunities were being worked by the Reds.
Substitute Erik Farkas had perhaps the best chance of the game and was denied by an impressive defensive block.
O’Connor’s cross first found Inglethorpe, who had his initial chance blocked, before the ball eventually looped up and fell into the path of Farkas in the area, but his shot hit the legs of the diving goalkeeper.
The midfielder then had the final chance of the game deep in added time as the ball was cut back by Yeguo to the penalty spot; stopper Pablo Polo once again blocked the chance with strong hands to see the spoils shared.
Team
Liverpool: Hall, Ndiaye, Cisse, Upton, Eden (E. Farkas, 71), O’Connor, Sonni-Lambie, Ayman, Conde (Yeguo, 46), Inglethorpe, W. Wright.
Unused subs: M. Wright, Clarke, Huth, Cowley, Murray-Holme, Garin, Bradshaw.
