Ollie Watkins punishes Liverpool, as Aston Villa seal Champions League place
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Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins celebrates scoring their third goal - his second of the match - with teammates.
PHOTO: ACTION IMAGES VIA REUTERS
- Aston Villa secured Champions League qualification by beating Liverpool 4-2 in the Premier League.
- Ollie Watkins scored two goals, while Morgan Rogers and John McGinn also netted for Villa.
- Liverpool slipped to fifth place, now vulnerable in the battle for a Champions League spot.
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BIRMINGHAM, England - Ollie Watkins scored twice as Aston Villa eased to a 4-2 Premier League victory over Liverpool on May 15 to seal Champions League qualification for next season and leave their visitors looking over their shoulder at the chasing pack.
The win moves Villa into fourth place with 62 points from their 37 games, leapfrogging their opponents, who have 59 points from the same number of matches.
Liverpool remain vulnerable to being caught by both Bournemouth and Brighton and Hove Albion in the race for a Champions League place as they slipped to a 12th defeat of the season with a single point from the last nine available.
Morgan Rogers gave Villa a first half lead before Virgil van Dijk equalised for Liverpool early in the second period and then got another in added time.
But Watkins’ double and a brilliant late fourth from John McGinn sealed the win for Unai Emery’s side, who head into the Europa League final on May 20 against Freiburg in buoyant mood. REUTERS
