Aston Villa beat Liverpool 4-2 to clinch Champions League football next season

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP): Ollie Watkins finished with two goals and had a third ruled out as Aston Villa rolled past Liverpool 4-2 at home yesterday, strengthening their position ahead of next week's Europa League final and booking a spot in next season's Champions League.

The result, coming only five days before Villa meet Freiburg in the Europa League showpiece, also confirmed Unai Emery's side a place in the Premier League's top five. Liverpool sit three points back in fifth and remain unsure of Champions League qualification for the coming campaign.

Liverpool controlled much of the early play. Cody Gakpo had a strike wiped out for offside, and Emiliano Martinez turned aside a bending long-range shot from Dominik Szoboszlai. Villa settled as the first half wore on and went ahead three minutes before the break when Morgan Rogers curled a right-footed effort past Giorgi Mamardashvili after a neatly worked corner.

Virgil van Dijk equalised with a header eight minutes after the restart, but Villa took charge as the match stretched open. Watkins saw another effort cancelled for offside, then punished a Szoboszlai mistake to launch a counter and score. He struck again in the 73rd minute, tapping in from close range after Mamardashvili produced two sharp saves. The brace took Watkins to six goals in his past seven league outings, and he troubled a Liverpool back line that wobbled whenever Villa pushed forward.

Emiliano Buendía rattled the crossbar from distance; Rio Ngumoha hit the woodwork at the other end for Liverpool. John McGinn sealed the 4-2 scoreline two minutes from time with a well-placed strike into the far post. Van Dijk pulled one back with a stoppage-time header, but Liverpool looked weary and flat throughout.

Liverpool close their season at Brentford on May 24; Villa visit Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium the same day.