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Speaking to Sky Sports, the Aston Villa manager said:
“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.
“To compete in both competitions and being consistent is not easy, we had fantastic season in the Premier League. I am so proud.
“Now we focus on final. We have to focus 100%, be ready. To play finals is very difficult. We are going to enjoy it.”
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Villa will face Freiburg in the Europa League final on May 20 in Istanbul, before playing Manchester City in their last Premier League game of the season next Sunday. Meanwhile, Liverpool, who are still waiting to seal Champions League qualification, will play Brentford on May 24 to round off their top-flight campaign.
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— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 15, 2026"We've just made this club a Champions League club again" ✨
John McGinn reacts to Aston Villa's 4-2 win over Liverpool! pic.twitter.com/Qv1ikIhy8y
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 15, 2026"It'll be the pinnacle of my Aston Villa career"
John McGinn cannot wait for the Europa League final on Wednesday 😍 pic.twitter.com/2OyRlt9xiP
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This defeat leaves Slot’s men in fifth, having conceded 52 goals in 37 Premier League outings. The pressure will continue to build on Slot and his underperforming players.
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Villa have done it. In their last home game of the season, Emery’s side have booked their place in next season’s Champions League courtesy of a fantastic 4-2 win over Liverpool at Villa Park. Watkins scored twice, while Rogers and McGinn also added goals to crown a rampant Villa performance. Van Dijk netted a double for Liverpool, but this wasn’t enough for the reigning Premier League champions, who have now suffered 12 top-flight defeats and are floundering in fifth position.
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Villa are minutes away from confirming their place in next season’s Champions League.
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Liverpool play a short corner, with Szoboszlai digging out a searching delivery for Van Dijk. The Liverpool captain rises highest and glances in a late consolation for the visitors.
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McGinn receives the ball out wide and stands up Kerkez. Villa’s captain uses the Liverpool defender as a wall and curls a sumptuous effort around him and into the top corner. Mamardashvili can do nothing to prevent that moment of magic from McGinn.
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Liverpool are trying to fashion a few half-hearted attacks, but they can’t break Villa down.
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Buendia has worked incredibly hard this evening and he comes off to a standing ovation as he’s replaced by Maatsen for the remaining minutes.
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Ngumoha clips a cross into Van Dijk, who is played onside by Buendia. The Liverpool captain heads the ball down to Chiesa and the substitute’s close-range strike is heroically blocked by Martinez.
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Villa look like they could score every time they get near to Liverpool’s box. The visitors have lost their discipline, defensive structure and attacking threat. They’re lucky that Villa haven’t scored five or six.
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Amid all the chaos, Salah was introduced into the action shortly after that third Villa goal. Barring a late miracle, Liverpool look set for another defeat in what has been a terrible season.
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Villa deserve the lead and now have an invaluable two-goal advantage. Liverpool fail to clear a corner and Mamardashvili parries Tielemans’ volley back into the danger-zone. Pau Torres can’t convert the first rebound, but Watkins is there to bundle in the next attempt. Villa are flying and Liverpool are all over the place.
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Villa are so close to a third as Buendia curls a beauty against the bar. The diminutive Argentine cuts inside and from the angle, he bends a fantastic effort towards goal. Time almost stands still as the shot smashes off the woodwork. Somehow, the scoreline stays 2-1 to Villa.
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Martinez comes out and catches a free-kick, before launching the ball up to Watkins. The striker takes an exquisite touch, but underhits the pass to Rogers, who sprints the length of the pitch to support the forward. Watkins’ ball is intercepted and the chance disappears, but Villa are ripping Liverpool apart at every opportunity.
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McGinn pushes Kerkez to the ground and is penalised with a yellow card. Liverpool then make a double change as Wirtz and Chiesa replace Gravenberch and Gomez.
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Rogers and Watkins combine once again. The attacking midfielder spots the striker’s run and threads a ball through the Liverpool defence. From a tight angle, Watkins tries to squeeze an effort under the onrushing Mamardashvili, but the Liverpool goalkeeper makes an important save.
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Gomez is shown a yellow card for a late tackle on Buendia. This game is really heating up now.
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In the blink of an eye Watkins is through on goal again. On this occasion, Mamardashvili does tremendously to close the angle down and smother the Englishman’s effort.
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What a horrible moment for Szoboszlai. Liverpool take a throw-in and the midfielder has the ball in a deep position, but he slips, allowing Rogers to race clear. The playmaker tees up Watkins, who slides a close-range effort into the bottom corner. Liverpool were only level for a matter of minutes.
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Liverpool strike the post! Ngumoha dances inside of Cash and McGinn, before curling a powerful effort at goal which looks to be heading for the bottom corner. The strike cannons off the post and Gakpo can’t turn in the rebound.
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Szoboszlai whips a menacing free-kick into the box. Van Dijk is unmarked at the back post after shrugging off Cash, before coolly planting a header into the bottom corner. The goal survives a VAR check for a potential foul on Cash and a close offside call. The Liverpool fans celebrate and we’re all square at Villa Park.
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Nguomha dashes round the outside of Cash and gets to the byline to dig out a cross. Both sets of players stop, believing the ball has gone out, but the referee waves play on. The move ends with Jones and Gomez unleashing shots, but both efforts are blocked by the Villa defence.
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Liverpool are playing an incredibly high line. Tielemans has a glaring opportunity to play in Digne, but the midfielder overhits the pass, allowing Mamardashvili to come out and gather.
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We are back under way for the second half. Villa have made a half-time alteration, with Barkley replacing Lindelof, while Liverpool are unchanged at the break.
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In an evenly-matched game in the Midlands, Villa head into the break with a slender 1-0 advantage over Liverpool thanks to Rogers’ late first half goal. Until that opener, Liverpool had arguably been the better team, with Gakpo having a goal ruled out for offside, before Szoboszlai’s long-range strike was tipped away by Martinez. However, Liverpool have been fragile all season and were sliced upon by Villa at a corner, with Rogers applying a devastating finish to put the home side in front.
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Watkins receives a needless yellow card at the end of the first half after kicking the ball into the net when he was flagged offside.
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If the result stays like this then Villa will be on their way to the Champions League, regardless of what happens in next week’s European final.
Morgan Rogers has opened the scoring but Austin McPhee, Aston Villa’s setpiece coach, is clearly claiming an assist given how he has celebrated. In fairness, it was a well worked corner but Liverpool’s defending was, to be generous, horribly passive.
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Liverpool are asleep and Villa pounce. Digne and McGinn play a long-range one-two at the corner, with the full-back eventually passing to Rogers, who was unmarked inside the penalty area. The playmaker takes the ball on the half-turn, before curling a sensational effort into the far corner. It’s a delightful finish, but Liverpool’s defending is dreadful. Rogers runs over to set-piece coach Austin McPhee and congratulates him. Villa had clearly rehearsed that corner routine and it has worked wonders.
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Watkins gets into a channel and tries to run at Konate. The Liverpool defender does excellently to shield his goal and not allow the striker to shoot or cross the ball. Rogers then swings in a menacing cross, but it evades his teammates who were waiting in the penalty area.
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Cash receives the first yellow card of the game after catching Kerkez with a late challenge. The right back will need to be careful now, especially with Nguomha running at him on the wing.
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Szoboszlai’s latest corner is punched away by Martinez, who was under serious pressure from multiple Liverpool players and did really well to reach the ball. The home side are struggling to break out of their own half at the moment.
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Szoboszlai curls a corner into the box. Mac Allister wins the header at the near post but the 2022 World Cup winner glances his effort over the bar. Liverpool are beginning to grow into this game, with Villa handing the momentum over to the visitors.
Unai Emery wouldn’t ever be one to take things easy but, after the opening flurry, you get the distinct impression that a draw would suit both teams very nicely. The intensity has dropped and a slower game has actually enabled Liverpool to look the better side. That, to be clear, is not a compliment.
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Szoboszlai picks up the ball in a central position and unleashes a venomous long-range strike at goal. Martinez reacts well and makes an eye-catching diving save to parry the ball away for a corner.
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Once again, Ngumoha cuts inside. This time, he tees up Gravenberch, who curls a long-range effort at Martinez. The Villa goalkeeper spills it, allowing Gakpo to capitalise and slot in a close-range rebound. However, Liverpool’s celebrations are cut short, with Gakpo offside by quite a distance.
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Ngumoha has looked lively in these opening 25 minutes. The Liverpool winger cuts inside of Cash, before firing a long range effort at goal. He gets too much power on the strike and it flies over.
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Szoboszlai clips a cross towards Van Dijk at the back post. The Liverpool captain wins the header and nods it down to Gakpo, who is challenged by Konsa. The Villa centre-back wins the ball and there’s some muted Liverpool appeals for a penalty, but the referee isn’t interested.
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Gomez takes aim from range and shoots but slips as his effort comfortably sails well over the bar.
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Van Dijk picks out Ngumoha with a glorious long ball. It floats over the retreating Cash, but Ngumoha takes a poor touch, allowing the Villa defender to scramble the ball clear.
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Villa undoubtedly look like the more confident side in these early stages. Van Dijk is annoyed with Mamardashvili as the Liverpool goalkeeper doesn’t come off his line to collect Tielemans’ loose pass. This forces the centre-back into a rushed clearance and he makes his feelings clear to Mamardashvili.
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Watkins is back on his feet and re-enters the action. He’s nearly gifted a chance straight away as Mamardashvili rushes out to intercept the ball, but he fluffs his clearance. Watkins and Rogers pounce, but the latter is forced too far wide and can’t find a Villa shirt with his cross. Mamardashvili looks very unconvincing.
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This is very concerning for Villa. After that earlier chance, Watkins has stayed down and is receiving treatment after taking that shot. He seems to be holding his hip.
That’s a worrying moment for Unai Emery and Ollie Watkins. The England striker has gone down independently after blasting a shot over the bar and is receiving lengthy treatment. The last thing either man needs is an issue before Aston Villa go to Istanbul. He’s had a season of contrasting fortunes, he doesn’t need an injury ahead of the biggest game of all.
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Kerkez and Nguomha combine well on the left, but the full-back’s searching cross is headed away by Digne. Szoboszlai looks to be lining up on the right, while Jones is playing as a central playmaker, having deputised at full-back last week.
Buendia plays in Watkins with a crisp pass. The Villa striker does excellently to skip inside of Van Dijk and shoot, but he’s off balance so his effort flies wide.
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There have been a couple of sleepy moments for Liverpool’s midfield duo of Mac Allister and Gravenberch, who haven’t been fully switched on. Villa come forward again and Digne aims a bouncing cross towards Watkins, but Van Dijk defends well and shrugs the striker off the ball.
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Villa dispossess Gravenberch and the home side burst forward on the counter. Rogers leads the attack and plays in Watkins, who swivels and shoots first time, but Mamardashvili gets down low and makes an important early stop.
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Liverpool midfielder Szoboszlai gets us under way at Villa Park by booting the ball out of play for a throw-in.
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The atmosphere inside Villa Park is electric. Kick-off between Aston Villa and Liverpool is just minutes away. Can either side cement their place in next season’s Champions League?
European vibes in the air tonight for the home fans, who are ready to give their team a big send-off before they go to Istanbul. Outside the stadium, the home contingent were having pictures taken with a replica European Cup, the symbol of 1982 in Rotterdam, and they expectation is high. Liverpool, by contrast, arrive here on low ebb and without Alexander Isak once again. He, as much as anyone, represents a symbol of why this campaign cannot end quick enough for Arne Slot’s squad.
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Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Lindelof, Tielemans, McGinn, Rogers, Buendia, Watkins.
Liverpool: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Jones, Ngumoha, Gakpo.
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Midlands football reporter John Percy analysed how the Aston Villa players could end the club’s major trophy drought and write their names into the history books following their second leg triumph over Nottingham Forest in the Europa League semi-final:
“Aston Villa’s current generation of players were fearing a reputation as the “nearly men”, but could now become legends by winning the club’s first trophy in 30 years.
“In front of the Prince of Wales, the heir to the throne, Europa League king Unai Emery reached another show-piece event to allow Villa to dream of writing some history.
“It has been more than 10,000 days since they last lifted silverware with their League Cup triumph of 1996, but they will face Freiburg in the final later this month with Emery targeting his fifth trophy in the competition.”
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Arne Slot gave an update on squad fitness after our line-up was confirmed against Aston Villa ℹ️
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 15, 2026
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— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 15, 2026"It's very important for us today to qualify for the Champions League" 🏆
Ibrahima Konaté emphasises the importance of Liverpool getting a result against Aston Villa ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/oo7BllXSfm
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— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 15, 2026"Today the focus is 100% only this match" 💯
Unai Emery speaks ahead of Aston Villa's last home game of the season against Liverpool 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/UUYjTAKx0V
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It was Rio Ngumoha’s 67th-minute departure for Alexander Isak which triggered a torrent of boos aimed at Arne Slot in the game against Chelsea last Saturday. The young winger starts this evening, with Mo Salah also retuning to the bench following an injury.
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— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 15, 2026"It's a case of finishing the season well"
Jamie Redknapp says it is crucial that Liverpool cement fourth place 🔴 pic.twitter.com/GsBLQ3Xf6A
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Following the disappointing 1-1 draw with Chelsea, our Merseyside Football Reporter Dominic King assessed how the current disconnect and toxicity at Anfield under Arne Slot feels eerily similar to Roy Hodgson’s disastrous tenure.
“Fifteen years ago, the disconnect between Liverpool’s manager and fans became intolerable. Against Chelsea, it felt even more toxic.”
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Arne Slot has opted to make just one change to the side that drew against Chelsea. It sees Jeremie Frimpong drop out of the squad, with Joe Gomez taking his place in the starting 11. Mo Salah and Florian Wirtz both return to the matchday squad, but begin on the bench, while Alexander Isak is missing altogether and Alisson is still sidelined.
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Unai Emery has made three alterations to the team that drew 2-2 with Burnley. Pau Torres, Lucas Digne and Emi Buendia replace Tyrone Mings, Ian Maatsen and Ross Barkley. Amadou Onana, Alysson and Boubacar Kamara all remain absent with injuries.
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Despite being on the same points as Villa, Liverpool’s season has been a disaster, with the pressure on Arne Slot ramping up. The reigning champions drew 1-1 with Chelsea last Saturday, leaving them in fourth, an eye-watering 20 points behind first-place Arsenal.
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Aston Villa progressed into the Europa League final in style, beating Nottingham Forest 4-0 in the second leg of their semi-final on May 7 to seal a 4-1 aggregate victory. Three days later, Unai Emery’s side faced Burnley at Turf Moor in the Premier League and drew 2-2, meaning their spot in next season’s Champions League isn’t fully confirmed ahead of tonight’s fixture at Villa Park.
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Good evening and welcome to our live blog for this Premier League game between Aston Villa and Liverpool, with both clubs aiming to seal their passage into next season’s Champions League.
Villa are fifth, just one place behind Liverpool on goal difference, while high-flying Bournemouth sit sixth, four points behind tonight’s duo with two games remaining. However, a win for either side here at Villa Park would secure Champions League qualification. The losers could still be supplanted by Andoni Iraola’s men, who play Manchester City next Tuesday at the Vitality Stadium.
Villa have the added security of next week’s Europa League final against Freiburg in Istanbul, which provides another possible route for Unai Emery’s side into the Champions League, if they fail to finish in the top five of the Premier League. This creates an interesting dynamic for this evening’s fixture: will Emery rest some key players with one eye on the final or will he go full strength to build momentum and get the job done early?
The last time the Spanish manager named a rotated line-up for a league fixture in favour of European competition, it went disastrously. On May 3, Villa made seven changes to the team that lost 1-0 in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final against Nottingham Forest and suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur.
With the return fixture just four days later, Emery’s decision was somewhat understandable, but Villa’s performance was so abject that it didn’t yield a shot on target until the 96th minute and created a cauldron of anxiety ahead of the semi-final second leg. The risk paid off as Villa breezed into the Europa League final courtesy of a 4-0 hammering of Forest.
Villa’s progress in Europe has caused the club’s Premier League form to dip. They’ve managed just one victory in their previous five top-flight matches, and are winless in the last three, drawing 2-2 with Burnley on Sunday. But the chance to end a 30-year drought for a major trophy in their first European final since 1982 means that everyone associated with Villa is brimming with excitement.
There isn’t the same buzz around Liverpool at the moment. Arne Slot’s side delivered an uninspiring performance in a forgettable 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Anfield last Saturday. There were boos at half-time, during the second half and on the final whistle, throwing the manager’s future into doubt.
Slot has responded by saying that he has been given “every reason to believe” the club’s owners still back him, but also understands the fans’ frustration.
“I don’t think I am deciding that alone by myself, but I have every reason to believe I am the Liverpool manager next season,” he said. “First of all, I am contracted to this club [until 2027] and second of all from all the talks we are having. That is my take on it.
“But if you don’t have the best season, especially if you compare with last season – if you compare it with other seasons you might have a different debate – but if you compare it with last season, this has definitely not been a great season, then it is also normal that criticism comes.
“We have all had our share – and with ‘all’ I mean the players have had their share, the manager has had their share and other people in the club have had their share. That is how things work nowadays if you don’t win the league.”
It promises to be an intriguing encounter. Kick-off is at 20:00, with team news coming shortly.
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