05/15/26 07:58:00
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05/15 19:53 CDT Watkins shines as Aston Villa overruns Liverpool to secure
Champions League place
Watkins shines as Aston Villa overruns Liverpool to secure Champions League
place
BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) --- Ollie Watkins scored two goals and had another
disallowed as Aston Villa set itself up nicely for next week's Europa League
final with a 4-2 win at home against Liverpool on Friday.
The win also guaranteed Villa a place in next year's Champions League.
The win just five days before Villa faces Freiburg in the Europa League decider
means Unai Emery's side ensured a top-five finish in the Premier League.
"It's a great performance and a great way to end the season at Villa Park,"
captain John 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.
Liverpool was three points behind in fifth and still sweating whether it will
make it into next year's Champions League.
Liverpool had the better of the opening exchanges with Cody Gakpo seeing a goal
ruled out for offside and Emiliano Martinez pushing away a swerving long-range
effort from Dominik Szoboszlai.
However, Villa found its composure as the half went on and took the lead three
minutes before halftime. Morgan 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 last seven league games and he was a constant
threat to a Liverpool rearguard that looked shaky every time Villa stormed
forward.
"We've conceded far too many games, but we also haven't scored enough goals,"
said Liverpool coach Arne 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."
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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