It almost felt like Aston Villa were trolling Liverpool as someone inside this throbbing stadium pressed play and the operatic Champions League anthem blared over the speakers. Villa had just qualified in style, a stirring victory superbly spearheaded by Ollie Watkins that exposed the kind of blind spots that have undermined Arne Slot’s meek title defence. For Villa, this was the perfect tonic before Wednesday’s Europa League final in Istanbul and for Unai Emery, arguably his greatest triumph yet given the financial muscle of their rivals. Well, for a few days at least.
Somehow, Emery was left off the Premier League’s six-strong manager of the season shortlist. Afterwards Villa basked in the achievement and Emery yelled into a microphone: “Up the Villa!” And then: “We’re going to Istanbul!” It was a rare break from Emery’s cold laser focus; after the final whistle he shook hands with Slot and clenched his left fist in celebration as he marched towards the tunnel.
Villa’s supporters rejoiced, singing the names of some of the European heavyweights they could face next season. Liverpool are not yet in that company and the race could go to the final day. Villa joy was in sharp contrast to the emotions felt by Liverpool, whose players sloped off the pitch. When Slot walked towards the away end in the moments after full time, it had long since emptied, many travelling supporters missing Virgil van Dijk’s second headed goal in stoppage time.
Watkins scored twice after Van Dijk had cancelled out Morgan Rogers’ brilliant, curling opener before Villa’s captain, John McGinn, completed the rout from the edge of the box. Liverpool have now conceded a league-high 20 goals from set pieces this season, Rogers benefiting from a smart move in the first half and Watkins in the second. For Villa, whose league form had been indifferent since the turn of the year, a confidence-inducing victory before the showpiece in Turkey.
Liverpool were loose in shape and defensively vulnerable. Cody Gakpo, a blunt force as a No 9, rippled Villa’s net approaching the half-hour when Emiliano Martínez spilled a shot by Ryan Gravenberch but was offside. When Dominik Szoboszlai sent a swerving effort at goal from 30 yards a few minutes later, Martínez opted for safety-first, pushing the ball away with two hands. But Liverpool were stodgy, a pale imitation of the team that dazzled en route to the title.
Villa always looked more likely to open the scoring, Watkins testing Giorgi Mamardashvili inside 90 seconds and then Villa had another sight of goal when Mamardashvili hastily surged from his area, Rogers snatching the ball. Liverpool’s first effort courtesy of Joe Gomez, yet to score a career goal, sailed over the Villa bar. Rio Ngumoha had his moments but where was Liverpool’s edge?
Villa instead displayed theirs on 42 minutes. The galling thing for Liverpool was that it stemmed from another corner, a training-ground routine architected by Austin MacPhee, Villa’s set-piece coach whom Rogers embraced after curling the ball into the far top corner of Mamardashvili’s goal. Lucas Digne released Rogers, presenting him the stage to exhibit the game’s first real piece of quality.
There was more tempo to Liverpool’s play after the restart. Ngumoha burned past Matty Cash and from the byline, and possibly out of play, he sent the ball into the box. Villa stopped but Liverpool stayed alive and Pau Torres blocked a shot by Jones. Martínez screamed injustice towards the referee, Chris Kavanagh.
A couple of minutes later all eyes were on Kavanagh when the big screens indicated a video assistant referee review after Van Dijk planted a header past Martínez. Van Dijk gave Cash a shove before meeting Szoboszlai’s free-kick at the edge of the six-yard box. Van Dijk wagged his index finger, insisting there was no foul and the goal was awarded after he was cleared of offside.
Ngumoha whizzed inside McGinn, cracking a low shot against the base of a post. The ball cannoned towards Gakpo and, at an awkward height, he failed to make clean contact with the rebound. Liverpool were so close to seizing the lead but trailed a minute later. Ibrahima Konaté slumped on the turf while Watkins wheeled away, patting the crest on his chest. It was a painful goal from a Liverpool perspective and particularly agonising for Szoboszlai, far and away their best performer in a sapping season. He slipped after receiving Milos Kerkez’s throw-in, Rogers first on the scene to tee up Watkins who applied a clever finish.
A rampant Watkins hunted for another goal and Emi Buendía went close himself, stepping inside Kerkez to rattle the crossbar with a bending effort. Watkins’ second was so simple, tapping in after Mamardashvili saved from Torres. For Liverpool, again it came from another corner, after Mamardashvili saved Youri Tielemans’ strike. Van Dijk grimaced as Watkins conducted the Holte End. “Let’s get the anthem on,” came the message over the public address system.
