Aston Villa win the Champions League battle and leave Liverpool’s season at breaking point | OneFootball

The only previous time Unai Emery had beaten Liverpool was in a Europa League final. As, a decade later, he ended a wait for a second, he set Aston Villa up perfectly to emulate his Sevilla side in their continental exploits. He may also end up consigning Liverpool to his favourite competition, the Europa League.

But there were reasons why the Champions League anthem was played after the final whistle. Villa will return to the European elite. They may qualify for the most prestigious competition twice in five days. Liverpool, falling apart amid an onslaught, may not at all. A 19th defeat of the season was among their grimmest, and not merely for the potential consequences.

There was a cruelty, too, for one of the few who should be exempted from blame for this sorry season. Dominik Szoboszlai recorded two assists at Villa Park, taking his tally for the season to 12, but his night is destined to be remembered for his involvement in another goal. It was the turning point.

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Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers scored with a curling effort (Reuters)

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Aston Villa's set piece coach Austin MacPhee celebrates after Morgan Rogers' opening goal (Reuters)

There are plenty of times this season when Szoboszlai has offered echoes of Steven Gerrard. Normally it is a compliment to be compared to the former captain, a catalyst in the No 8 shirt. Not on this occasion, perhaps.

His was not the first ill-timed slip to damage Liverpool over the years, as Gerrard can testify. As Szoboszlai lost his footing and the ball, he allowed Morgan Rogers to provide the dynamic Ollie Watkins with the first of his brace.

Liverpool could have a fraught week, unless others take points off Brighton and Bournemouth. For Villa, it may prove a seminal, spectacular one. John McGinn may get his hands on the Europa League trophy in Istanbul; his left foot illuminated this game, his glorious curler bringing Villa’s fourth goal. They have fourth place, too; more pertinently, the lowest they can finish is fifth.

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Virgil van Dijk scored the equaliser for Liverpool just after the restart (PA)

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Ollie Watkins restored Villa’s lead after Dominik Szoboszlai’s ‘Gerrard moment’ (PA)

An achievement was clinched in rousing fashion on a raucous night and with the aid of a rampant Watkins. With 10 goals in his last 11 games, he is stepping up his case to go to the World Cup. In his 53rd appearance of the season, he looked fresh as he overpowered Liverpool. They felt exhausted; looking lethargic with lopsided tactics in the first half, stretched and struggling in the second. Villa were everything they were not: relentless against a team who ended up looking a rabble.

But when Mohamed Salah announced his summer departure, this may have promised to be a memorable occasion for a forward in the No 11 shirt. So it was; just for Watkins. A fit-again Salah’s penultimate Liverpool appearance came as a substitute. It was more than Alexander Isak managed, the £125m man injured again.

As Liverpool began without the quartet who were supposed to bring their greatest goal threat – Salah, Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike – they seemed short of firepower. Briefly, it felt that Szoboszlai had provided the inspiration again. Yet his twin assists became a footnote; so, too Virgil van Dijk’s double, as the captain headed in twice. He has eight goals this season, but Liverpool have conceded 52 in the Premier League alone.

Two came in sadly familiar fashion. The defending champions top one table, but an unwanted one. No one has conceded as many goals from set-pieces and Villa’s first and third both came from corners. Their set-piece coach Austin MacPhee celebrated the first with a vigour that spoke to a plan paying off.

It has for Emery, too. He fielded his strongest available side; the one that thrashed Nottingham Forest 4-0 in the Europa League semi-final and the one who could face Freiburg in the final. This reduces the pressure on Villa to win that but they warmed up wonderfully.

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Watkins' double helped Villa to an impressive win over Liverpool (AP)

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John McGinn added Villa's fourth to complete the win (PA)

Their opener stemmed from a short corner, MacPhee delighted as Liverpool were caught out and Lucas Digne passed to Rogers, who curled in a shot. After Van Dijk’s first goal, Szoboszlai fell on his face. Rogers supplied Watkins.

It came in a frantic few minutes when Liverpool could have led, with Rio Ngumoha whipping a shot against the base of the post and Cody Gakpo skewing the rebound over the bar.

Instead, Villa surged clear. The irresistible Watkins had one goal disallowed. He was then thwarted by Giorgi Mamardashvili. His second arrived instead when the striker poked in his shot after Mamardashvili had parried efforts from Youri Tielemans and Pau Torres; his defence offered him precious little protection.

So Villa signed off for the season in front of their fans in magnificent style. They sang songs about Istanbul, the city where Liverpool won their fifth Champions League. Now the aim for Slot is less glamorous. Liverpool may have to beat Brentford next Sunday, or this season will be a failure on all fronts.