Aston Villa’s Champions League aspirations suffered a major setback as they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion. The loss, coupled with Tottenham Hotspur’s victory over Liverpool, leaves Villa’s top-four hopes hanging in the balance.
Villa’s performance was a far cry from their impressive display against Manchester City in midweek. They struggled to create clear-cut chances and were punished late on by Joao Pedro’s 87th-minute goal. The Brazilian forward headed home the rebound after Robin Olsen saved his penalty, which was awarded for Ezri Konsa’s foul on Simon Adingra.
The defeat was Villa’s second in four days, following their 4-2 loss to Olympiakos in the Europa Conference League semi-final first leg. It raises concerns about their ability to maintain their form in the final stretch of the season.
Villa remain in fourth place, but their lead over Tottenham has been reduced to seven points. With two games in hand, Tottenham could leapfrog Villa into the top four if they win both matches.
Unai Emery’s side will face a tough test in their remaining two fixtures. They host Liverpool at Villa Park before traveling to Crystal Palace on the final day of the season. A victory in either game would secure their return to the Champions League for the first time since 1982-83.
Meanwhile, Chelsea kept their hopes of European qualification alive with a resounding 5-0 victory over West Ham United at Stamford Bridge. The Blues were in dominant form throughout the match, scoring five goals without reply.
Cole Palmer opened the scoring in the 15th minute, followed by Conor Gallagher’s stunning volley 15 minutes later. Noni Madueke added a third just six minutes later, before Nicolas Jackson scored twice in the second half to complete the rout.
The victory moves Chelsea above Manchester United into seventh place, but they still need to secure a top-six finish to qualify for Europe. Manager Mauricio Pochettino is under pressure to deliver a strong finish to the season, with his future at the club uncertain.
West Ham’s defeat was their third in a row and leaves them in ninth place. The Hammers have come under fire for their negative style of play under manager David Moyes, and speculation is growing that he could be replaced at the end of the season.
