Aston Villa

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa have confirmed their return to the Champions League.

The focus is now on Wednesday's Europa League final against Freiburg in Istanbul, but, while Villa have been in the Champions League spots since November, they remain the Premier League's overperformers.

According to Opta's expected table, Emery's side should sit 12th.

Eight places - and 15 points - better off than their expected position, they are the highest overperforming team in the Premier League.

Sunderland and Everton are the only other sides overperforming by more than two places.

Villa's 54 goals rank seventh in the league, below 10th-place Chelsea (55), while their 471 shots is just ninth highest - also lower than any of the top six and Chelsea.

Their number of shots on target ranks eighth, behind the rest of the top six, Brighton and Newcastle United - but their shot conversion rate of 11% is bettered by only Brentford (14%), Manchester City (13%) and Arsenal (13%).

Only Tottenham (+8.33) have overperformed their expected goals (xG) more than Villa, while five clubs have defied their xG more at the back.

Villa have also balanced their league campaign with the Europa League, reaching their first major European final since winning the European Cup in 1982.

As they overperform on the pitch, it would be ignorant not to look at the restrictions Emery has been working under.

Villa have been operating with the handbrake on, but Champions League qualification, for the second time in three years, should allow that to be lifted.

Read more here

Unai Emery led Sevilla to three Europa League titles in a row between 2014 and 2016, before winning it again with Villarreal in 2021. So why is he so successful in European football's second-tier competition?

As the Spaniard prepares to lead a side in a sixth Europa League final - Emery lost one to Chelsea while in charge at Arsenal - Delyth Lloyd is joined by BBC Sport's Nick Mashiter and German football broadcaster Constantin Eckner to find out what makes Emery tick and a little bit more about the team standing in his way on Wednesday, Freiburg.

Hit play below to listen to the full episode of More Than The Score, or here on BBC Sounds

Chelsea have an interest in Aston Villa attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers but Arsenal, Manchester United and Paris St-Germain are also looking at the 23-year-old England international. (Talksport), external

Barcelona, who are reluctant to pay the 30m euros to turn Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford's loan move into a permanent deal, are aware Villa are keen on the 28-year-old England international. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Pundits Dion Dublin and Mark Schwarzer join host Gabby Logan to bring you the action and talking points from Friday's and Sunday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Leeds 1-0 Burnley

• Brentford 2-2 Crystal Palace

• Newcastle 3-1 West Ham

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Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins says he will watch footage of Peter Withe's famous winner in the 1982 European Cup final to help inspire him before their own Europa League final against Freiburg on Wednesday.

It has been 30 years since Villa last won a major trophy, the 1996 League Cup, and Withe's winner in 1982 was Villa's last success in Europe.

Watkins says he will be analysing that piece of club history before he takes to Besiktas Park in Istanbul on Wednesday evening.

Speaking after beating Liverpool 4-2, Watkins said: "I think Peter Withe is a legend. He came in (to Bodymoor Heath). I've met him quite a few times. He came into the training ground last week to watch.

"It's amazing that he can do that and that we can have a legend around the place."

Watkins helped his side secure Champions League football for next season after scoring a brace against Liverpool on Friday but he can now turn his full attention to lifting silverware that has long eluded the club.

"For the last couple of league games it's been hard to focus because we've had such highs (in the Europa League) and we're getting further and further into the competition," he said.

"It's been hard to focus on our Premier League form. So now we've done what we set out to do. We've achieved Champions League football and now we're going do all we can to win on Wednesday.

"We were meant to do it in that fashion (against Liverpool) and for it to be in the last home game as well makes it even more special I think."

We asked for your thoughts after Friday's Premier League game between Aston Villa and Liverpool.

Here are some of your comments:

Aston Villa fans

Nick: Superb - really wasn't expecting that high-energy performance. They can now go to Istanbul without the added pressure of Champions League qualification doubts.

Richard: I am in dreamland. To think where Villa were a few seasons ago, then compare it to now, unbelievable. Another great team performance. Watkins has found form at the right time. If Villa can replicate that performance on Wednesday night, what a season we will have had. Only niggle, why wasn't Emery considered for Premier League Manager of the Season?

Leigh: A superb result, the team played well and collectively. This is the Villa we know, big game, big performance. In Emery we trust.

Prit: Another magnificent half by Villa. When we play front-foot football, we are unplayable. I loved the way we moved the ball quickly up the pitch and great vision by Martinez for playing the ball long to find Watkins on numerous occasions. Some really great goals with Watkins and Rogers finding their mojo, but what a final goal by captain fantastic, Super John McGinn. In truth, we could have beaten Liverpool by six or seven and just a real shame that Buendia couldn't get the goal he deserved. So, Champions League football sorted, all we need to do is play a focused game of football in Istanbul to cap off the season. Well done Unai and well done Villa!

Liverpool fans

Dax: This season Slot has made great players look ordinary. Salah, Van Dijk, Gravenberch are all shadows of their previous seasons and the players he's brought in are nothing like their price tag suggests. They did not become bad players overnight. You've only got to look at the performances for their country to see that the problem is Slot. However, it's interesting to note that when our players are having to stretch out, run faster or make up for stray passes (which is happening a lot) to see where our injuries are coming from. We are chasing every game and as a result very few of our players are playing to their potential.

Christian: The credit Slot had in the bank from winning the league last season just isn't enough to forgive the utter dross us fans are having to endure. Even with the extensive injury list, there should still be signs of improvement from the training ground. If anything, we're easier to beat now than at any point this season. We must have a change in the summer. I'm sorry to say - the players clearly do not believe in Slot's philosophy.

Fuzzy: It's clear and obvious Slot has lost the plot as well as the players. There is no clear system, no tactical nous, it's a 'hope for the best' situation in every game, followed by the same old weak excuses. FSG need to seriously reconsider their intention to keep Slot on for next season. Get Xabi in now!

Nathan: Shocking, just absolutely shocking! This is the first time I'm ever going to say as a Liverpool fan that I can't wait for next Sunday and this dreadful season to be over! How Slot is still in a job is mind-blowing considering we've lost the same amount of games as the team sat in 14th in the table! Virgil van Dijk and Rio Ngumoha are the only two I could say were actually trying for us, the rest of the team is absolutely woeful. If Slot is still in at the start of next season, we are doomed and set for another season of boring, predictable football.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery says his side's form earlier this season had him "worried" but they reacted "fantastically" to turn things around and secure Champions League football.

Villa's impressive 4-2 victory over Liverpool saw them secure their return to Europe's elite competition with a game to spare in a performance that Emery called "absolutely brilliant".

You can listen to Emery's reaction above or find more audio on Villa here

Jess Anderson
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Ollie Watkins has scored 12 Premier League goals this season - not his greatest yield in a Aston Villa shirt - but nine of those have come since he was left out of the March international camp.

Across all competitions, that number goes up to 11 - Harry Kane has scored 10 in the same period - with his form extending to Villa's run to the Europa League final.

His omission from that England squad has lit a fire in Watkins that perhaps would not have been there had he been included.

"I had a slow start to the season, picking up a few niggles on international duty and then being left out of the England squad," he said.

"I think it gave me that fire in my belly to come back and prove to people what I can do. A lot of people had written me off this season and I use that as motivation to show them that I can be back to my best - scoring and helping the team."

Against Liverpool, he was unplayable at times as he continuously took advantage of their high line and found the space to run in behind.

The icing on the cake for Watkins would be a performance like this one against against Freiburg in Istanbul on Wednesday, where Villa will look to win their first major trophy in 30 years.

Since the last international break, no player has scored more Premier League goals than Watkins' nine.

Manchester City's Erling Haaland is second on that list with seven, while Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White is the next best English player on five.

But, while Watkins may well be arguably England's most in-form striker heading into the World Cup, realistically the spot everyone is vying for is the number one back-up position to captain Kane.

Ivan Toney has been in prolific form all season for Al-Ahli but playing in the Saudi Pro League means his numbers are difficult to directly compare with the other contenders.

Of the rest, Watkins' 19 goals in all competitions puts him five ahead of both Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who returned to the England fold after a five-year exile in March, and Danny Welbeck, whose last cap was in 2018.

"He's got to be on the plane," former Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie said on Sky Sports when asked about Watkins' chances of being included this summer. "Since being left out we've just seen a massive turning of the corner.

"He's been relentless in front of goal, he's shown his capabilities. He's a totally different player to Harry Kane and gives them something different."

Aadam Patel
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Unai Emery has had yet another stellar season and next week could be magical for anyone associated with Aston Villa, with the prospect of a first European trophy in 44 years

It is easy to forget that Villa had no wins in their first five Premier League games this campaign but securing a top-five finish and winning a trophy would represent a hugely successful return.

Emery's team selection was strong and his players delivered, with an energetic performance that was simply too good for Liverpool.

Ollie Watkins was a man possessed and has been directly involved in more goals than any other Englishman has across all competitions this season for a Premier League club (24 - 19 goals, 5 assists).

That is one more than teammate Morgan Rogers (23 - 13 goals, 10 assists), who himself was too hot to handle and John McGinn's goal was the perfect way to send the Villa fans to Istanbul.

After the final whistle, the Champions League anthem was played on the sound system at Villa Park. Villa fans have plenty to look forward to.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, speaking to Sky Sports: "Fantastic, today the match was very important for us because the the priority was the Premier League. We faced Liverpool and tested ourselves. It was a tough match in the first half but the second half was fantastic. I am grateful for the supporters. Champions League, this is something amazing."

On playing in multiple competitions: "To compete in both competitions and being consistent is not easy, we had fantastic season in the Premier League. I am so proud.

On the season: "We try to be demanding in both competitions and we are very serious preparing for games, knowing the difficulties. We started poor in the Premier League, the second part of the season, we lost lots at home but we did it. Before the match I was worried about the level we had to play at but I am so happy at how we did it.

On the Europa League final: "Now we focus on final. We have to focus 100%, be ready. To play finals is very difficult. We are going to enjoy it."

Villa captain John McGinn speaking to Sky Sports: "We had to get over line, we've lost the last few league performances."

On being confident: "We need to be. How can you not be. It allows us to be excited and enjoy Wednesday properly."

On Ollie Watkins: "I wish he was Scottish. He was obviously disappointed in March but if it gave him a kick up the backside he's certainly responded in the best way. We're so fortunate to have him, what he's done for this club the past few seasons has been incredible. I think he may have just snuck his way on to that plane. Hopefully he can carry that into next week."

On the Europa League Final: "The supporters have got to enjoy it. We're slight favourites but in finals anything can happen. We've got to stay focused. It's what you dream of when you're young. You've got to enjoy it but have fun."

Did you know?

• Unai Emery is the first manager to qualify Aston Villa for the European Cup/UEFA Champions League in two different seasons.

• Emery picked up his 600th win as a manager tonight with 107 of those coming with Aston Villa, his joint-most victories at one club (also 107 with Valenica).

• Ollie Watkins has been directly involved in more goals than any other Englishman has across all competitions this season for a Premier League club (24 – 19 goals, 5 assists), one more than teammate Morgan Rogers (23 – 13 goals, 10 assists).

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins speaking to Sky Sports on securing Champions League qualification: "An amazing achievement. What we have done this season after the start we had - a poor start where we hardly scored and didn't win for six games - there was a lot of doubt and negativity around the club and he feeling in camp.

"We've turned it around with some big performances. Amazing to play in the Champions League, a lot of amazing teams, football that everyone watches and the competition that everyone is striving to play in."

On the win against Liverpool: "Liverpool play a high line and don't play offside so they're disjointed at the back and feel like there's a lot of space for me to run into. No disrespect to them, the centre backs are world class but I spot space and opportunities. I like to run in behind.

"Just before the goal, I was disappointed because I went offside, they play such a high line. I shouldn't be offside in that position but to grab that goal a minute later, me and Morgan [Rogers] have a great connection."

On his second goal: "Buzzing Pau [Torres] missed that, I knew I wasn't offside. It's horrible when it goes to VAR you never know but you can't ask for anything more as a striker with a little tap in there."

On his current form: "I had a slow start to the season, picking up a few niggles on international duty and then being left out of the England squad. I think it gave me that fire in my belly to come back and prove to people what I can do. A lot of people had written me off this season and I use that as motivation to show them that I can be back to my best - scoring and helping the team. I think I've showed that for the last few games.

"I'm taking each game as it comes. Being in the Europa League final is an amazing achievement. Excitement around the club, everyone is buzzing and we'll leave it all on the pitch on Wednesday."

Well it's job done in the Premier League for Aston Villa. They have booked their place in next year's Champions League.

The Champions League anthem is being played out on the sound system at Villa Park.

It could turn into an incredibly special week for Aston Villa.

Next up, the Europa League final in Istanbul on Wednesday...

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Villa's performance

What did you make of Liverpool's display?

Come back on Saturday for a selection of your replies - more reaction and analysis coming soon

Unai Emery makes three changes from Aston Villa's draw at Burnley and despite having a Europa League final to look forward to on Wednesday, it's a fairly strong Villa side.

Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Pau, Digne; Tielemans, Lindelof; McGinn, Rogers, Buendia; Watkins.

Subs: Bizot, Barkley, Garcia, Abraham, Sancho, Luiz, Maatsen, Bogarde, Bailey.

For Liverpool, there's just the one change with Joe Gomez coming in for Jeremie Frimpong. Mohamed Salah and Florian Wirtz are back on the bench but there's no Alexander Isak again.

Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones, Szoboszlai, Ngumoha; Gakpo.

Subs: Woodman, Wirtz, Salah, Chiesa, Robertson, Nyoni, McConnell, Ndiaye, Wright.

Aston Villa have got the Europa League final against Freiburg on Wednesday so what will Unai Emery do here?

The last time Villa had a big European game coming up, against Nottingham Forest in the semi-finals earlier this month, Emery made seven changes against Tottenham and his team were awful.

This time? Villa need to build a bit of momentum before they head to Istanbul, so he cannot do the same again - if he does, they will lose momentum, not build it.

Liverpool are hardly flying at the moment either, though, and like Villa they are not guaranteed a top-five finish yet.

A draw feels like the most likely outcome but making predictions at this stage of the season is almost impossible because of the different things that can skew the results. If it was down to me the predictions from the last two weeks of the season would not count towards the table.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Jordan Butler
BBC Sport journalist

Aston Villa host Liverpool with a win for either side enough to secure Champions League qualification. BBC Sport explores some further themes around this fixture.

Villa's stuttering end to the domestic season will be largely inconsequential if they can end the 2025-26 campaign with a first major European trophy in 44 years.

Villa have taken eight points from the past 27 available, dating back to a 2-0 loss at Wolves on 27 February when they sat third in the table. Only relegated Burnley and Chelsea have amassed fewer points over that period.

Villa's primary focus is Europe

Victory in the Europa League final on Wednesday would guarantee a place in next season's Champions League and render Villa's final league position almost irrelevant.

Villa will start as favourites against German outfit Freiburg next week and in Unai Emery they possess a manager who excels in that competition. The Spaniard has won four Europa League titles – a record for a manager - although it is worth noting that his only defeat in this final came while in charge of an English side.

Friday's Premier League match does still hold some significance and a win would secure Villa's place in the top five with a game to spare. They have not lost a final league match at Villa Park since their Premier League return in 2019 (W4, D2), a run which includes an entertaining 3-3 draw with Liverpool two years ago.

Liverpool seek to end season on a high

It would be fair to say that Liverpool's title defence has not gone exactly to plan. The Reds head into this weekend 20 points behind league leaders Arsenal and have amassed 24 fewer points than at this stage last season after suffering 11 defeats.

To put that into context, they lost only four times last season and two of those came in May after the title was already in the bag.

Eight of this season's 11 losses have come on the road – their most away defeats in a top-flight campaign for 14 years – and they have collected just one point from seven trips to face teams currently in the Premier League top nine. Aston Villa are fifth.

"We have dropped far too many points in away games," admitted head coach Arne Slot, who was subjected to boos during last Saturday's draw with Chelsea at Anfield. "But I have every reason to believe I am the Liverpool manager next season."

The 2024-25 Premier League champions will end the campaign without a major trophy for only the third time in the past eight years, but victory at Villa Park would at least confirm Champions League football for next season.

Liverpool hold the upper hand in games against Friday's opponent and have lost only one of their previous 16 Premier League meetings with Villa, winning 12 and drawing three. That sole defeat was a 7-2 thrashing at Villa Park in October 2020 which remains the club's record Premier League defeat.

Another reverse this Friday, by any margin, would see Slot's future called further into question.

Aston Villa fan Gareth Cheadle and his son Kealan are making the most of Villa's European final and are touring several countries before the final in Istanbul on Wednesday.

The duo will visit Valencia, Milan and Sharm El Sheikh before Istanbul and then Berlin on the way home.

"It's a memory that will last a lifetime," said Gareth to BBC Radio WM. "It's a fantastic opportunity.

"It's my son's 21st birthday in a couple of months so we had a chat and said we'd book a few places along the way just in case Villa don't go there [to the final] and it snowballed.

"We just kept adding more destinations!

"We've been to a couple of European away days and the atmosphere is great. I can't wait. It's going to be a great occasion."

Listen on BBC Sounds

Aston Villa want to sign Argentine forward Matias Soule, 23, from Roma. It comes as 27-year-old Dutch winger Donyell Malen's loan move from the Midlands side to the Italian club looks set to turn permanent. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Melissa Edwards
BBC Sport journalist

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Friday's Premier League game against Liverpool at Villa Park (kick-off 20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Emery confirmed there is no fresh team news for Villa with the same three absentees still unavailable - Amadou Onana, Alysson and Boubacar Kamara.

• Villa have won just three of their past 13 Premier League games but Emery is "proud" of how far his side have competed all season: "The reason [for the drop in form], we must analyse deeply at the end of the season. But my objective is to compete in different competitions at our best level and to have enough players, enough mentality to play and fight in the Premier League with the best teams and try to get our best position like we are doing."

• He continued: "The best teams in the world are becoming [the best] when they can get consistency in different competitions, performing and being competitive, and we are doing that."

• Emery said the they need to look at their "overall" campaign and how they have beaten the likes of Tottenham, Newcastle and Chelsea to their current position in the Premier League table.

• The Spaniard called Harvey Elliot's loan spell "embarrassing for everyone involved", after Liverpool boss Arne Slot confirmed the winger will return to the club for pre-season in his news conference on Thursday.

• He added: "To now explain about the reason for this decision is very difficult, or it is easy, but it is not the moment. My apologies for Harvey Elliott are, every day, in my mind. We have our responsibility and Liverpool have their responsibility and, of course, it's something as a human and as a person, how the season has gone for him has been difficult."

• On facing Liverpool: "We are playing one team - the favourite and contender from the beginning, to be clear, because last year they won the Premier League. Of course, it's something fantastic and something we must be so proud of."

• He continued: "And now it's how we can test ourselves, playing against them, how we are testing with them because, of course, Liverpool, they have fantastic coach, fantastic players. Maybe they are not being consistent this year like they were last year, but they've still been a fantastic team and players and coach, and it's Liverpool."

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