Aston Villa secured qualification for next season’s Champions League with a 4-2 win over Liverpool at Villa Park on Friday, which left the Merseyside club’s place in Europe’s premier competition still in doubt.
A second-half brace from Ollie Watkins, sandwiched between goals from Morgan Rogers and John McGinn, means fourth-place Villa are guaranteed one of the Premier League‘s five spots in the Champions League.
Fifth-place Liverpool, meanwhile, are still looking over their shoulder going into their final game of the season next weekend.
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Bournemouth trail last year’s champions by four points, with Brighton a further two points back. Both clubs, though, have two games still to play.
Villa had the luxury of knowing that they had an extra chance to make it back to the Champions League, with the Europa League final against Freiburg upcoming on Wednesday.
But Unai Emery’s side will now be able to head to Istanbul fully focused on the chance to win a first major trophy in 30 years.
“It’s a great performance and a great way to end the season at Villa Park,” captain McGinn told broadcaster Sky Sports “We’ve just made this club a Champions League club again, and it allows us to be excited and enjoy the game on Wednesday.
“We’ve got a chance to get some silverware, but the fact we’re in the Champions League is an unbelievable achievement.”
It continues a golden period of success under Emery, who two seasons ago led Villa to Europe’s top competition for the first time in 41 years.
“Absolutely brilliant,” the Spanish coach said after what was Villa’s first Premier League win over Liverpool since October 2020. “I was here the first day speaking about our objective 3½ years ago and how we are doing this achievement.
“Today is a summary for the season. Fantastic and to do it against Liverpool.
“This team, this atmosphere. I am so happy, so, so proud of everybody. Now we can play the final, only thinking about a trophy, not thinking about the Champions League.”
Liverpool had the better of the opening exchanges on Friday with Cody Gakpo seeing a goal ruled out for offside and Emiliano Martínez pushing away a swerving long-range effort from Dominik Szoboszlai.
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However, Villa found its composure as the half went on and took the lead three minutes before halftime. Rogers placed a perfect right-foot shot beyond the reach of Giorgi Mamardashvili after a well-worked corner kick.
Virgil van Dijk’s header eight minutes into the second half brought Liverpool level but Villa started to dominate as the game opened up.
Watkins had a goal chalked off for offside but made up for it just a few minutes later when he took advantage of a slip by Szoboszlai that set Villa free on the counterattack.
He added a third in the 73rd when he side-footed home from point-blank range after Mamardashvili made two excellent stops.
It was Watkins’ sixth goal in his past seven league games and he was a constant threat to a Liverpool rearguard that looked shaky every time Villa stormed forward.
Emiliano Buendía had a long-range effort smack the bar — Rio Ngumoha did the same for Liverpool at the other end — then McGinn added the fourth two minutes from time with a superbly placed shot into the far corner.
It was the first time Liverpool had conceded four goals in a Premier League match in Arne Slot’s two seasons as coach and took their total conceded for the season to 51, their most in a 38-game Premier League campaign.
“We’ve conceded far too many goals, but we also haven’t scored enough goals,” said Slot, who admitted his team lacked backbone after going behind in the second half.
“[After] the 2-1 we crumbled, we struggled. In the end made it 4-2, so they did not give up, but we struggled to control their pace, intensity and quality.”
Van Dijk made it 4-2 in stoppage time with a header, but it was scant consolation for a Liverpool team that looked tired and sluggish.
Liverpool’s last game of the season is at Brentford on May 24, while Villa takes on Manchester City at Etihad Stadium on the same day.
The Associated Press, PA and ESPN Research contributed to this report.
