Aston Villa stun Liverpool to seal Champions League return

Aston Villa stormed back into Europe's elite, beating Liverpool 3-1 at Villa Park to seal Champions League qualification. Ollie Watkins struck twice after Morgan Rogers had opened the scoring, while Virgil van Dijk replied for the visitors before Villa captain John McGinn finished from the edge of the box.

Liverpool have been hit by defensive lapses from set pieces this season, with 20 league goals conceded from corners and free kicks. Rogers used a well-worked corner routine in the first half to create his opener, and Watkins struck again after the break to stretch Villa's advantage.

For Villa, the win provides a major confidence boost ahead of Wednesday’s Europa League final, while Liverpool's campaign ends with questions over their form at the back and how they will reload for next season.

Villa move into the top four as they chase a return to European competition, while Liverpool's late-season slump will fuel talk of how they regroup for the next campaign.

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