Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood, centre, celebrates after scoring the opening goal from a penalty during the Europa League semifinal first leg soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa in Nottingham.
| Photo Credit: AP

Aston Villa have one last chance to seal automatic qualification for the Champions League last 16 when they face Celtic in a crucial ‘Battle of Britain’ clash on Wednesday. Heading into the final round of league phase fixtures, Unai Emery’s side sit ninth in the standings, with the top eight guaranteed to advance directly to the last 16. Teams who finish ninth to 24th will face a nerve-wracking play-off round that determines the final eight clubs to progress. Villa, who are one point behind eighth placed Bayer Leverkusen, will almost certainly have to beat Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic at Villa Park to avoid the play-offs.

They could have almost wrapped up a last 16 berth by beating Monaco last week, but instead slipped to a surprise 1-0 defeat against the Ligue 1 side.

Villa defender Tyrone Mings is confident his side can cope with the strain of such a critical match.

“It isn’t pressure, it’s something we deal with every time we step out on to the football pitch, that’s no different. We enjoy it,” Mings said.

“It’s obviously a very big game next week, but they all are in their own way.”

Mings left the pitch in tears after suffering a first-half knee injury during Sunday’s 1-1 draw against West Ham, sparking fears the influential centre-back will miss the Celtic match.

‘Learned our lesson’

Celtic are sure to finish in a playoff spot after beating Young Boys 1-0 in Glasgow last week.

But Brendan Rodgers’ 18th-placed side are unlikely to take it easy against Villa as they look to finish as high as possible in the table and potentially secure a less formidable play-off opponent.

Celtic also have a point to prove after being thrashed 7-1 at Borussia Dortmund in the most daunting of their league phase matches.

A positive result against Villa would quiet those who suggested their progress to the play-offs was due in part to a favourable fixture list.

“I think we learned our lesson in Dortmund and bounced back really well. Sometimes you learn when you have a tough time,” Celtic keeper Kasper Schmeichel said.

“Barring one game, we have been solid, we have been very good. We have had some very mature performances.

“That’s the mark of the squad, we never get carried away, we stay humble and keep learning.”

Celtic, unbeaten in five European matches, will travel south well rested after Saturday’s game against Dundee was postponed due to damage at the club’s stadium caused by Storm Eowyn.

But Rodgers’ men are depleted by the absence of Japan internationals Daizen Maeda, who is suspended, and Kyogo Furuhashi, who completed a move to Rennes on Monday.

Kyogo’s departure was softened by winger Jota returning from Rennes, but he is not eligible to play on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, west midlands police hope to keep the lid on potential crowd trouble in the latest volatile clash between English and Scottish clubs.

The fixture at Villa Park comes six days after Manchester United’s 2-1 win over Rangers in the Europa League was marred by violent scenes.

There were 39 arrests as Rangers fans infiltrated sections of the stadium reserved for United supporters, with disorder also reported in the city centre.

Graham Potter suffered a painful start to his West Ham reign as Aston Villa’s late surge sealed a 2-1 win in the FA Cup third round on Friday. Potter was hired by the Hammers on Thursday to replace Julen Lopetegui, who was sacked earlier this week after just six months in charge. But the former Chelsea manager was unable to make a winning return to the dug-out as West Ham squandered the first half lead given to them by Lucas Paqueta. On a freezing evening at Villa Park, Unai Emery’s men emphasised the size of the task facing Potter with a second half fightback that exposed West Ham’s defensive flaws.

Amadou Onana equalised before Morgan Rogers bagged the winner to leave Potter holding his head in frustration.

The former Brighton boss is back in management for the first time since being dismissed by Chelsea in April 2023.

Potter lasted less than seven months at Chelsea, losing 11 times in his 31 games in charge and slumping to 11th place in the top-flight despite a £288 million ($351 million) spending spree in his one transfer window.

Potter has tried to learn from the “pain” of that failure, vowing to “come back stronger” after an experience that may have cost him a chance at the England job when Thomas Tuchel was hired last year.

Potter had just one training session with his players before the trip to Villa and was without key forwards Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio.

Under the circumstances, he can be encouraged by West Ham’s attacking play but fixing their issues at the back must be top of his to-do list.

“Overall, disappointed to go out, but lots of positives in the game,” Potter said.

“The start was really good but in the second half Aston Villa stepped-up and pushed us back a bit too much. That’s something we will have to improve.”

Lopetegui was unable to build on the solid foundations left by David Moyes, who won the Europa Conference League in 2023 before stepping down at the end of last season amid fan complaints about his dour style of play.

Potter certainly looks capable of banishing those concerns as West Ham attacked Villa with verve in the first half.

Paqueta was close to giving Potter a dream start when the Brazilian’s strike from the edge of the area flashed just wide.

It was a warning Villa failed to heed as Paqueta opened the scoring in the ninth minute.

Crysencio Summerville teased Villa’s Ian Maatsen with an incisive run into the area before slipping a pass to Paqueta, who planted a clinical finish past Robin Olsen.

Potter celebrated in fist-pumping style but there was a setback for the new manager when Germany striker Niclas Fullkrug limped off soon after the goal.

Paqueta was a constant threat and he forced Olsen to save after another menacing raid.

But Villa’s second half surge was rewarded in the 71st minute.

Tyrone Mings flicked on a corner to Maatsen and Fabianski could only push his shot to Amadou Onana, who reacted quickest to poke home from close-range.

West Ham were furious, claiming the corner should not have been awarded because Boubacar Kamara’s shot was not deflected.

But Villa scented blood and went for the kill in the 76th minute.

Ollie Watkins burst into the West Ham area and pulled his pass back to Rogers for a clinical strike into the bottom corner.

Third tier Wycombe enjoyed a surprise 2-0 win over Championship side Portsmouth in Friday’s other third round tie.

Aston Villa beat crisis-hit Manchester City 2-1 on Saturday to heap more misery on floundering manager Pep Guardiola, who has now suffered nine defeats in his past 12 matches. Jhon Duran finished off a fine team move to give the home side an early lead and Morgan Rogers doubled Villa’s advantage in the 65th minute. Phil Foden scored his first Premier League goal of the season in stoppage time but it proved to be too little too late. Pep Guardiola, in the worst run of his glittering career, said Friday that “sooner or later” things will turn around but City’s fear factor has vanished.

The win lifts Unai Emery’s inconsistent Villa team to fifth in the Premier League table, one place above sinking City.

Guardiola made six changes to the team side that lost last week’s Manchester derby, bringing in goalkeeper Stefan Ortega and reshaping his defence with Rico Lewis, John Stones and Manuel Akanji.

Mateo Kovacic and Jack Grealish also returned.

But the defending champions started the match in chaotic fashion and could have been behind inside 20 seconds.

Untidy work from Josko Gvardiol allowed John McGinn to steal the ball and he fed Duran, whose shot from outside the box was pushed behind by Ortega.

Villa were millimetres away from taking the lead from the resulting corner, with Ortega, in for first-choice goalkeeper Ederson, producing a superb save to deny Pau Torres.

City then settled and their possession numbers topped 75 percent but they created little.

Instead it was Villa who took the lead through Duran after a superb team move, scoring his seventh Premier League goal of the season.

Youri Tielemans delivered a wonderful defence-splitting pass to Rogers, who burst through City’s backline with ease before finding Duran on his right and the Colombian international finished crisply.

Phil Foden tested Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the 35th minute after an incisive move involving Lewis.

And Gvardiol squandered a glorious chance moments before half-time, heading over a Grealish cross.

Guardiola brought on Kyle Walker for Stones at the break.

Minutes into the second half Villa’s Matty Cash lashed an attempt into the side netting after a speedy attack before Duran had a strike ruled out for offside.

Rogers hit the foot of the post just before the hour mark after an intricate team move down the left.

Emery’s men doubled their lead 20 minutes into the second half, with Rogers finishing unerringly from a McGinn pass.

City created little as they searched for a way back into the game until Foden pounced for a late consolation goal.

Manchester City travel to Aston Villa on Saturday desperately seeking to halt their dramatic slide while Chelsea have the chance to go top of the Premier League, if only briefly. Current leaders Liverpool face a tricky trip to Tottenham after a wobble while Manchester United are seeking to win two Premier League games in a row for the first time this season. We pick out some of the major talking points ahead of the weekend action.

Pep out to prove himself again

Manchester City lost 1-0 away to Aston Villa last December but that proved to be their final defeat of the season as they romped to a fourth straight Premier League title.

That loss for Pep Guardiola’s men came after three straight draws — which was then a slump by City’s sky-high standards.

This time they travel to Birmingham in a deep rut, with eight defeats from their past 11 matches in all competitions.

City’s chances of winning a fifth straight English top-flight title appear to be over but they must somehow halt their astonishing slide.

Guardiola took the blame after last week’s painful 2-1 derby defeat to Manchester United, saying he was not “good enough”, though Phil Foden said the players still believed in their boss.

Fifth-placed City, nine points behind Liverpool having played a game more, have lost five of their past seven Premier League games, as many as they had in their previous 67 matches combined.

Seventh-placed Villa have been inconsistent but injury-hit City have lost the habit of winning — suffering an apparent collective crisis of confidence.

Liverpool’s Slot faces new challenge

Arne Slot has made replacing Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager look easy. But is he about to face his first major challenge?

Earlier this month, the Reds were nine points clear at the top of the Premier League and seemingly on course for a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title.

But they could kick off at Tottenham on Sunday behind Chelsea, who are seeking a sixth straight league win at struggling Everton earlier in the day.

Liverpool have drawn their past two league matches, against Newcastle and Fulham, but beat Southampton in the League Cup quarter-finals this week to stay on track for a first trophy of Slot’s reign.

They are still firm favourites to win the league but Chelsea are gathering momentum under new manager Enzo Maresca.

It is difficult to predict which Tottenham team will turn up on Sunday after seven wins and seven defeats in their 16 league games so far.

But one thing is for sure — Ange Postecoglou’s team will not sit back — only Chelsea have scored more than their tally of 36 league goals this season.

Wolves desperate for new manager bounce

Leicester and Wolves have both sacked their managers this season, spooked by poor starts to the Premier League campaign.

The two sides meet at the King Power on Sunday in a must-win match for the visitors, who this week appointed Vitor Pereira as their new coach following the dismissal of Gary O’Neil.

Wolves are second from bottom of the Premier League after four straight defeats, with a paltry nine points from 16 games — five points behind Leicester, who are just outside the relegation zone.

Chairman Jeff Shi thanked Pereira, a league winner in Portugal and Greece, for taking on the tough challenge at Molineux.

The reality is that the Midlands club are already running out of time.

After the Leicester match, Wolves head into a daunting run of fixtures against Manchester United, Tottenham and high-flying Nottingham Forest.

Ruud van Nistelrooy started off brightly at Leicester, winning his first match and drawing the second but the Foxes suffered a demoralising 4-0 defeat at Newcastle last week and if results go against them they could end the weekend in the drop zone.

An 85th-minute goal from Ross Barkley took Aston Villa to a 3-2 win at RB Leipzig on Tuesday, sending the visitors third in the table and boosting their hopes of a top-eight finish. Villa were ahead after just 153 seconds thanks to John McGinn, but Leipzig levelled things up midway through the first half when Lois Openda exploited a mix-up in defence. Jhon Duran’s 53rd-minute stunner was cancelled out by a Christoph Baumgartner goal nine minutes later, setting the stage for the substitute Barkley to blast in just two minutes after coming on. 

The goal, a deflected long-range effort, was Barkley’s first in the Champions League and has Villa on track for a top-eight finish in their return to Europe’s top competition after 41 years.

McGinn told the UEFA website the goal “felt amazing, because it’s been a bit of a dry spell for me. 

“I think over 90 minutes we were the better team — Leipzig’s goals were against the run of play.”

“That’s the role of the lads on the bench,” Barkley told Amazon Prime. “I’m happy to come off the bench and score the winner.”

“They all count, don’t they?” Barkley said of his deflected winner.

Teams finishing in the top eight qualify directly and avoid an additional set of knockout fixtures.

The loss, Leipzig’s sixth in six Champions League games this season, extinguished the hosts slim hopes of a place in the knockouts.

A “disappointed” Openda told reporters his side needed to “keep fighting… This can happen. We will get another chance for next year and we will need to learn from our mistakes.”

Villa travelled to Germany having won two straight Premier League games to break an eight-game winless run.

Leipzig however were very much at the last-chance saloon, with five losses in five putting them on track to miss the knockouts — a fate they only suffered twice in six seasons under the previous format.

Returning to his preferred European stage, Villa manager Unai Emery urged his side to “break our limit” and the visitors heeded his words early, opening at break-neck speed. 

McGinn put Villa ahead three minutes in, hammering home from close range after Ollie Watkins nodded a perfect header into his path.

McGinn’s goal was just one of many chances inside the opening 15 minutes, including golden opportunities for Watkins and Youri Tielemans as Villa’s movement and precision overwhelmed the sluggish hosts. 

Leipzig’s young side have lacked confidence this season, particularly in Europe, so they were fortunate when a poor defensive mix-up allowed Openda to level things up after 27 minutes. 

Villa’s centre-backs and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez held off a high ball, allowing Openda to slip through, collect it before the bounce and slot calmly into an empty net. 

With Leipzig in the ascendency as half-time came, Emery summoned John Duran from the bench at the break and the Colombian had Villa back in front with an incredible goal eight minutes in. 

Fed by Tielemans on the break, Duran collected the pass and unleashed a dipping shot from well beyond the penalty arc which evaded Leipzig goalie Peter Gulacsi. 

Duran looked to have scored again minutes later but his strike was ruled out for the narrowest of offsides by VAR. 

The hosts hit back seconds later, Openda breaking through on the counter and chipping for Baumgartner, who volleyed Leipzig level.

Summer arrival Barkley was the visitors’ unlikely hero, his deflected shot — the 31-year-old’s first Champions League goal — finding the net and continuing Villa’s incredible return to the European stage.

Liverpool can take another giant step towards just a second English top-flight title in 35 years against fragile Manchester City on Sunday as Ruben Amorim aims for a first Premier League win as Manchester United manager. The top-of-the-table clash at Anfield offers Arsenal, who face West Ham, and Chelsea, who host Aston Villa, the chance to gain ground. AFP Sport picks out some of the key talking points ahead of this weekend’s action:

Liverpool’s league to lose?

Arne Slot’s rampant Reds go into the weekend off the high of beating Real Madrid 2-0 to top the Champions League table.

Liverpool have barely put a foot wrong in the Premier League either, surging into an eight-point lead after just 12 games.

All three teams who have enjoyed a lead of eight points or more at this stage of the season in Premier League history have gone on to win the title.

City are there for the taking.

Winless in six matches, the English champions are physically and mentally “fragile”, according to manager Pep Guardiola, who is experiencing the worst run of his career in the dugout.

“It has been, is being and will be a tough season for us. We have to accept it for many circumstances,” he said.

Even at their best during a glorious era under the Catalan, City have failed to tame Anfield, with their last win there in front of a crowd coming back in 2003.

Amorim seeks home comforts

Amorim did not hold back after seeing Manchester United labour to a 1-1 draw at lowly Ipswich in his first match in charge last weekend.

“We are going to suffer for a long period,” said the Portuguese coach. “This will take time, but I know we have to win games.”

The visit of struggling Everton to Old Trafford offers the Red Devils the perfect chance to kickstart life under their new boss.

The Toffees (10) are one of only three sides to have scored fewer Premier League goals this season than United’s 13.

Sean Dyche’s men are just two points above the relegation zone and have not beaten United away from home since 2013.

United, who sit 12th, need to make the most of home advantage to move swiftly back up the table with daunting trips to Arsenal and City to come in two of their following three league games.

Villa hit the skids

Aston Villa are another side struggling for form. A 0-0 draw against Juventus in midweek extended their winless run to seven games in all competitions.

Unai Emery’s men are still well placed to progress to the knockout stages of the Champions League in their first taste of Europe’s elite competition for four decades.

But their European exertions are beginning to take a toll domestically. Villa have taken just seven points from their past seven league games to slip to eighth.

Next up is a difficult trip to Chelsea, who are flying high in Enzo Maresca‘s first season in charge.

The Blues sit third, ahead of Arsenal on goals scored, and could easily end the weekend as Liverpool’s closest challengers should City fail to end their winless run at Anfield.

Arsenal have bounced back to form with comprehensive wins over Nottingham Forest and Sporting Lisbon and will go second for 24 hours at least with victory at West Ham on Saturday.

Fixtures (all times GMT)

Friday

Brighton v Southampton (2000)

Saturday

Brentford v Leicester, Crystal Palace v Newcastle, Nottingham Forest v Ipswich, Wolves v Bournemouth (all 1500), West Ham v Arsenal (1730)

Sunday

Chelsea v Aston Villa, Manchester United v Everton, Tottenham v Fulham (all 1330), Liverpool v Manchester City (1600)

Arsenal got their Premier League title challenge back on track with a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday as Chelsea moved up to third by beating Leicester 2-1. Champions Manchester City are aiming to snap a four-game losing streak when they host Tottenham later. Arsenal were expected to be contenders to take City’s crown after finishing second in each of the past two seasons. The Gunners had failed to win in their previous four league games to start the weekend nine points adrift of leaders Liverpool, who travel to bottom-of-the-table Southampton on Sunday.

Martin Odegaard‘s return from injury is a major boost to Arsenal’s hopes of a first title in over 20 years and his pass teed up Bukayo Saka to blast home the opener on 15 minutes.

Saka turned provider for another special strike, this time by Thomas Partey, to double the home side’s advantage early in the second period.

Ethan Nwaneri then came off the bench to score his first Premier League goal as the highly-rated 17-year-old slotted in Raheem Sterling‘s cross.

Chelsea remain ahead of Arsenal on goals scored despite failing to make their dominance show in manager Enzo Maresca‘s return to Leicester.

Nicolas Jackson prodded the visitors into a first-half lead with his seventh goal of the season.

Cole Palmer‘s goalbound effort was deflected behind by his team-mate Noni Madueke as Chelsea wasted a series of chances for the second goal.

It eventually arrived 15 minutes from time when Enzo Fernandez headed in after Jackson’s header was saved.

Leicester pulled a goal back in stoppage time through Jordan Ayew’s penalty but defeat leaves the Foxes just two points above the relegation zone.

Villa winless in six

Aston Villa are now winless in six and had to twice come from behind just to salvage a 2-2 draw at home to Crystal Palace.

Ismaila Sarr and Justin Devenny twice put the Eagles in front either side of Ollie Watkins’ leveller before half-time.

Villa also had Youri Tielemans‘ first-half penalty saved by Dean Henderson but the Belgian midfielder made amends with the delivery for Ross Barkley‘s header to secure a point.

Brighton’s incredible start under 31-year-old boss Fabian Hurzeler continued with a 2-1 win at Bournemouth to climb up to fifth.

Joao Pedro and Kaoru Mitoma were on target for the Seagulls, who survived playing the final half hour down to 10 men after Carlos Baleba saw red.

Wolves are out of the bottom three thanks to a stunning 4-1 at Fulham.

Matheus Cunha strike twice for the visitors at Craven Cottage, while Joao Gomes and Goncalo Guedes were also on target in a second consecutive win for Gary O’Neil‘s men.

Everton failed to take advantage of an early red card for Brentford’s Christian Norgaard in a 0-0 draw at Goodison Park.

Ruben Amorim takes charge of Manchester United for the first time in the pick of Sunday’s action when the Red Devils visit Ipswich.

Morgan Rogers (left) in action© AFP

John McGinn said there is no limit to Aston Villa’s ambition in the Champions League after beating Bologna 2-0 to go top of the table in a dream return to the competition. Villa last played in the top tier of European football back in 1983 but Unai Emery’s transformation of a sleeping giant knows no bounds as they became the only side to register three wins from three Champions League games so far. McGinn’s free-kick flew beyond everyone into the far corner to open the scoring in the second half before Jhon Duran kept up his prolific strike rate on a rare start for the Colombian.

“We don’t want to stop here. It puts us in a great position,” said McGinn, who joined the club when they were still in the second tier of English football in 2018.

“What we are building here is amazing.

“This is home for me. It is my seventh season here, we’ve had ups and downs. It has been a rollercoaster. Hopefully we can keep climbing.”

Bologna, by contrast, have just one point from their opening three games and one win in 11 games in all competitions this season.

The Rossoblu were one of the stories of European football last season as they finished fifth in Serie A to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 60 years.

However, they have struggled since losing star players Riccardo Calafiori and Joshua Zirkzee to Premier League giants Arsenal and Manchester United, while coach Thiago Motta left to take charge of Juventus.

Emery said on the eve of the game he wants to “break barriers” at a club that has not won a trophy since 1996.

And the Spaniard showed the impressive strength in depth at his disposal with a comfortable win despite making four changes.

“We are playing focussed, responsible and the team is progressing and maturing in everything,” said Emery.

Duran was finally handed his first start in either the Premier League or Champions League after scoring five times as a substitute this season.

Set-piece specialists

McGinn and England international Ezri Konsa returned from injury, while 35 million pounds ($46 million) signing Ian Maatsen came in at left-back.

French international Boubacar Kamara made his return from a serious knee injury as a late substitute, while club captain Tyrone Mings was on the bench for the first time since suffering an ACL injury in August 2023.

Villa’s strength from set-pieces has been one of the keys to Emery’s transformation of the club from battling relegation to beating off Europe’s finest over the past two years.

McGinn’s enticing delivery did not even need a touch from the cluster of bodies in the box as the Scotland midfielder’s strike found the bottom corner to break the deadlock 10 minutes into the second half.

Nine minutes later, Duran made sure of the points with a clinical near-post finish from Morgan Rogers’ cross.

The combustible striker then showed his displeasure at being replaced by Ollie Watkins moments later as he punched the bench in frustration.

But that did not take the shine off another memorable night for Villa in their meteoric rise since Emery arrived in Birmingham.

Nine points may already be enough to secure a playoff place with five games to spare.

Only the bottom 12 in the 36-team table will be eliminated, but Villa’s sights are now on trying to secure a top-eight finish and automatic qualification for the last 16.