⏪ Aston Villa smash Liverpool to seal Champions League qualification | OneFootball

FULL TIME! ASTON VILLA 4-2 LIVERPOOL

An incredible second half from Villa sees them leapfrog Liverpool into fourth and confirm Champions League football for next season.

Next up is the Europa League final. What a job Unai Emery has done.

What an amazing way for Villa to finish their home campaign - qualifying for the Champions League and being cheered onto Istanbul.

GOAL! 4-2!

Szoboszlai gets another assist and Van Dijk gets another goal but it means little.

WHAT A GOAL! MCGINN MAKES IT 4-1!

No more fitting player than John McGinn to seal Champions League football for Villa. And what a goal.

He bends one around Kerkez from a standing position that Mamardashvili can only get a hand on as it flies into the top corner.

Incredible stuff.

Those five wins to start the season have done an incredible amount of heavy lifting for Liverpool. It feels bizarre they came into this game in fourth.

They are set to finish in fifth barring a very unlikely comeback.

Liverpool are trying to get back into this game but Florian Wirtz's effort from a cutback is tame at best.

A very soft penalty appeal is then waived away.

It's looking like the Reds will need a favour from Manchester City to avoid needing a result on the final day to qualify for the Champions League.

Liverpool have hit a new low here.

Never in a 38-game league season have they conceded more than 50 goals.

Watkins' second makes it 51.

Among all the madness, Mohamed Salah is on for his final Liverpool away game.

It's looking like a sad ending.

WATKINS AGAIN! 3-1!

Incredible scenes.

The striker bangs in his second at the second attempt after Liverpool fail to deal with a corner.

Villa Park is absolutely rocking.

OFF THE BAR!

Villa are all over Liverpool here and Emiliano Buendía almost seals the win with a stunning curled effort.

It fires off a combination of post and bar and somehow away.

SLOT MAKES CHANGES!

Attacking ones at that too.

Joe Gomez and Ryan Gravenberch are off and Florian Wirtz and Federico Chiesa are on.

It won't be long before we see Mohamed Salah.

CLOSE AGAIN!

Watkibs almost has another but Mamardashvili is there to just about stop him.

What a second half we're having.

GOAL! VILLA RETAKE THE LEAD!

A crazy few minutes!

Szoboszlai, who has been Liverpool's best player this season, slips allowing Rogers to square the ball to Watkins, who finishes expertly from inside the box.

He is on fire at the perfect time for both Villa and England.

OFF THE POST!

Ngumoha is electric whenever he gets on the ball. He cuts in from the left and curls one against the post.

The ball comes to Gakpo at a very awkward angle and he can't finish.

What a turnaround that would have been.

GOAL GIVEN!

Liverpool are back on level terms. A captain's goal from the Dutchman.

There's also a check for offisde when Szoboszlai whipped in a fine free-kick.

Big moment.

GOAL! LIVERPOOL LEVEL!

Virgil van Dijk glances home from a free-kick but there might be push on Cash?

Villa almost get in behind Liverpool's high line right away.

There will be space as the Reds push for an equaliser.

SECOND HALF UNDER WAY!

Big 45 minutes ahead for both clubs.

Ross Barkley - an Evertonian - is coming on at half-time for Victor Lindelof.

Could that be with one eye on the Europa League final?

HALF TIME!

Rogers' brilliant goal is the difference and Villa are halfway to the Champions League.

Watkins goes into the book to end the half.

GOAL! VILLA TAKE THE LEAD!

After all of Liverpool's good work, they go behind to a brilliant goal from Morgan Rogers.

It's an excellent corner routine that leads to the England man getting the ball in his preferred left-hand side of the box.

He bends one into the far corner and Villa have one foot in the Champions League.

Cash is the first into the book for a foul on Milos Kerkez.

A bit harsh perhaps but Ngumoha will fancy his chances running at him even more now.

As has become the norm at Premier League games, it's a melee in the box.

Alexis Mac Allister gets a head on Szoboszlai's corner but puts it over.

Liverpool are growing into this game. Might Villa regret not striking while they were on top?

WHAT AN EFFORT!

It opens up for Dominik Szoboszlai and he obviously has a crack from all of 35 yards out.

Martínez palms it away for a corner.

Rio Ngumoha has been Liverpool's best player tonight and that's not the first time that's been said in recent weeks.

Matty Cash could be in for a long night.

OFFSIDE!

Cody Gakpo has the ball in the net after Emiliano Martínez makes a mess of a pretty tame effort from Ryan Gravenberch.

Let off for the Argentine stopper.

Van Dijk then causes some trouble in the Villa box but they just about clear it away.

There was a very soft appeal for a penalty on Cody Gakpo.

Joe Gomez has a strike from distance but slips before.

He's still to score for a goal for Liverpool or in his professional career. 311 games and counting.

Villa are much the better side here so far.

Liverpool are struggling to build anything.

Watkins is up and causing more trouble with Giorgi Mamardashvili being forced to charge out of his box.

The Liverpool keeper almost makes a mess of it and it ends up with a Villa free kick moments later.

CHANCE!

Ollie Watkins does brilliantly to cut inside Virgil van Dijk on the left-hand side of the box.

He falls back hitting his shot over and is now down receiving treatment.

A worry for club and country?

Villa have started on the front foot here as they look for just their second Premier League win against Liverpool in 20 attempts.

Their last win? That famous 7-2 victory during the pandemic.

KICK OFF!

And we're off.

Villa might have one eye on the Europa League final but beating Liverpool and clinching Champions League football in front of their fans would be huge.

The Reds are also missing several players and feel there to be beaten.

We're less than 10 minutes away from kick off.

It is a huge game in the race for Champions League qualification with a win for either side here guaranteeing them a place in next season's competition.

In that scenario, the loser will be left looking over their shoulder at a rampant Bournemouth.

A draw will push both sides closer to qualification.

Hello and welcome to our coverage of tonight's Premier League clash between Aston Villa and Liverpool at Villa Park.