Aston Villa secure Champions League spot with win over Liverpool

Ollie Watkins scored two goals and set up another as Aston Villa swept aside Liverpool to secure Champions League football next season.

Morgan Rogers gave Villa a first-half lead with a wonderful strike before Virgil van Dijk headed home an equaliser for Liverpool shortly after the break.

But five minutes later, Watkins capitalised on a slip by Dominik Szoboszlai to restore Villa’s advantage, before getting another from close range in the 73rd minute.

And there was still time for John McGinn to bend home a belter as Liverpool fell to their 19th defeat of the season in all competitions, with Van Dijk’s injury-time second just a consolation for the visitors.

Another loss for Liverpool means Arne Slot’s side are still not guaranteed Champions League football next season and that race could go to the final day of the season, depending on Brighton and Bournemouth’s results.

Unai Emery’s Villa can now look forward to Wednesday’s Europa League Final against Freiburg in Istanbul, where they will look to win their first major trophy in 30 years.

Despite that seismic occasion on the horizon for Villa, Emery named the same side that beat Nottingham Forest in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final while Liverpool were without Alexander Isak again as the Premier League record signing was not risked due to a minor injury.

In a relatively quiet first half, it was Villa who broke the deadlock after a wonderful set-piece routine from a corner that caught Liverpool out and ended with Rogers curling in for his 10th league goal of the season.

Liverpool levelled in the 52nd minute with a set-piece of their own when Szoboszlai’s free-kick found Virgil van Dijk’s head.

Rio Ngumoha then struck the post with an effort from outside the box but Liverpool were the architects of their own downfall again when Szoboszlai slipped deep in his own half and Rogers turned provider as he teed up Watkins, who finished past Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Slot turned to his bench, throwing on Florian Wirtz and Federico Chiesa, but Villa were relentless and shortly after Emiliano Buendia struck the woodwork with an incredible effort, Watkins was on hand to tap in from close range after Mamardashvili had denied Pau Torres.

Mohamed Salah returned off the bench as Liverpool tried to force a way back but it was McGinn who put the icing on the cake with a solid strike from outside the box before Van Dijk got a consolation late on for the visitors.