Aston Villa kept themselves firmly in the race for Champions League qualification with a statement win over fellow European hopefuls Newcastle United.
Unai Emery’s side ran out 4-1 winners with a scintillating display at Villa Park to move level on points with Nottingham Forest in fifth and only two behind third-placed Newcastle.
A fifth consecutive league win was the perfect response to exiting the Champions League midweek as Villa fight to return to Europe’s premier club competition next season.
“Villa have destroyed Newcastle,” former Everton midfielder Pat Nevin said on BBC Radio 5 Live.
“A lot of teams are beginning to wilt at this stage of the season. Aston Villa aren’t. They are looking very, very strong.”
Speaking on Sky Sports, ex-Liverpool captain Jamie Redknapp added: “Aston Villa dismantled the in-form team in the Premier League. From minute one, they were excellent.
“Almost a managerial masterclass, from the team he [Unai Emery] picked, the style they played, the substitutions he brought on. Everything he did tonight he got right.”
Next up for Villa is a trip to Manchester City, another side battling to make the top five.
“Belief and showing our capacity – we did it today,” Emery told BBC Match of the Day.
“Tuesday is another test and another challenge for the team and the club. Man City is another huge test.”
City kept themselves in the Champions League places courtesy of a 2-0 win at Everton.
But with just five points separating Newcastle and Chelsea in seventh – a gap that could be cut to two if the Blues win at Fulham on Sunday – the top-five race looks set to go down to the wire.
As such, having spent a large portion of the season in the top three, Nottingham Forest could be sixth by the time they kick off at Tottenham on Monday night.
As many as 11 European places are up for grabs and there will definitely be a minimum of eight teams – up from the usual seven – playing in Europe next season, but things could change in the coming weeks.
It means Crystal Palace down in 12th still have something to play for.
BBC Sport takes a look at how many teams could qualify for each of the European competitions – the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.
