Aston Villa produced a dazzling second-half display to beat Liverpool 4-2 and book their place in next season’s Champions League, leaving the Reds’ European hopes hanging by a thread.
Ollie Watkins scored twice as manager Unai Emery was rewarded for fielding a full-strength side just days before his side’s Europa League final against Freiburg.
The defeat drops Liverpool to fifth in the Premier League, now only four points clear of Bournemouth, who have two games in hand. Even if Arne Slot’s side limp into the Champions League places, the manner of another dismal collapse has intensified scrutiny on the Dutchman’s future.
Slot, who remains confident of keeping his job despite a wretched title defence, was again without Alisson Becker, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike. Florian Wirtz and Mohamed Salah were only fit enough for the bench.
After Virgil van Dijk’s second-half equaliser had briefly revived Liverpool, Villa stormed back. Morgan Rogers opened the scoring before the break with a brilliantly worked short corner routine. Moments after Rio Ngumoha struck the post for the visitors, Dominik Szoboszlai’s slip allowed Rogers to cross for Watkins to tap in.
Emi Buendia then hit the bar before Watkins pounced for his second, finishing after Giorgi Mamardashvili’s double save. Captain John McGinn sealed the rout with a sensational strike into the top corner.
Van Dijk nodded in a late consolation, but with Bournemouth facing Manchester City on Tuesday, Liverpool could be forced to win on the final day against Brentford to avoid missing out on Europe’s elite competition entirely.
