Gossip: Villa interested in Barcelona's Torres published at 07:40 BST 19 May
07:40 BST 19 May
Aston Villa are interested in Barcelona forward Ferran Torres, 25, and are prepared to offer around 50m euros (£42m) for the Spain international. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish), external
Atletico Madrid are among several clubs interested in Aston Villa's Argentine midfielder Enzo Barrenechea, 23, who is on loan at Valencia. (Birmingham Mail), external
Aston Villa 2-0 Tottenham - the fans' verdictpublished at 11:55 BST 17 May
11:55 BST 17 May
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for your thoughts after Friday's Premier League game between Aston Villa and Tottenham.
Here are some of your comments:
Villa fans
Rob: A thoroughly professional display. The Villa of old would have panicked at being 0-0 at half-time and we would've lost it 1-0 at the death. But that's not this Unai Emery team. They controlled the second half and took our chances without breaking a sweat. Bring on Man Utd.
Simon: Obviously so pleased for the three points, but seeing Martinez go off in tears has me worried that we've seen the last of him. Whatever happens, he will always be a Villa legend. On to Old Trafford for, hopefully, a rare victory there.
Ian: A nervy first half, but Spurs' only threat was on the break. It was a well deserved win in the second half and very comfortable. Spurs never really threatened our goal. Just one more win now and I think we will get that Champions League spot. In Unai we trust. Keep the faith, UTV.
Paul: A stroll in the end. Emery deserves credit for taking a failing team and turning them into a team that has qualified for Europe three years in a row, but there still needs to be consistency so we don't have meltdowns like Olympiakos or Wembley this season. We've finished the season like a train but the dropped points back in the winter may well cost us. On our day, we go toe-to-toe with the best and hurt them, so a Spurs team not wanting to get injured before a final was pretty easy to predict.
Spurs fans
Andy: I know it was almost a nothing game for us, given our final on Wednesday, but it still feels like something is fundamentally wrong in the changing room. Getting to the Champions League could be the worst thing to happen to us. With the extra games and these performances, we will be relegated next season.
Roger: Yet another shambolic, totally disorganised, lacklustre performance. Even allowing for missing and out-of-form players, the performances this season have clearly demonstrated that the current management and coaching is nowhere near what is required in the Premier League. Even a win next week or buying new players won't change that. The club needs to act quickly and make wholesale changes before pre-season or we will get relegated next year.
Meesh: It's been the same all season - we look lost. I was gritting my teeth in vain thinking we may actually win this. And yet more injuries!
Norman: Oh dear. The first half really gave me hope and I can see positives for next season with our great young players (if we can keep them). The second half was dreadful and I cannot wait for the end of the season and an end to this manager. A dreadful season, irrespective of what happens in the Europa League final.
Did you know?
Since the start of March, Aston Villa have won 24 points in the Premier League from their nine games (W8 L1), more than any other side in that period (Newcastle next on 22 points).
Tottenham have now lost 25 games in all competitions this season, their joint-highest number of defeats in a single campaign in their history along with 1991-92 (25).
Ollie Watkins has been directly involved in 109 Premier League goals for Aston Villa (75 goals, 34 assists), the outright most of any player for the club (one more than Gabriel Agbonlahor).
'We still have the chance to play in the Champions League'published at 10:18 BST 17 May
10:18 BST 17 May
Image source, Getty Images
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to Sky Sports following the victory at Villa Park: "I'm very happy. We won and we are on a run, but we still have work to do. We have to be ready and be consistent. We finished the season here with our supporters and our energy, our wish is to be in Europe. We still have the chance to play in the Champions League.
"Tottenham competed well and did a fantastic job. We were consistent and demanding and, when we scored the first goal, they gave up. Good luck to them in the [Europa League] final.
"We needed to manage the 90 minutes and we worked it fantastically. We are being demanding in this moment. If we can get Champions League, it is fantastic.
"We are in a good moment now. We are trying to play well and in our best moment, some of the players are enjoying it now.
"We are going to continue with our plan. We will work on Saturday and have Sunday and Monday off."
'It isn't in our hands as of yet but we will do all we can'published at 10:12 BST 17 May
10:12 BST 17 May
Image source, Getty Images
Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa has been speaking to Sky Sports about the important win: "We work on set pieces nearly every day. We have a set piece coach in, we worked on that specific corner and it came off. We knew we had to score early in the second half and give the fans something to cheer for.
"We knew this game was must win. We want to play Champions League football again. We had a taste of it this season and for us, as players, it is a competition you want to play in. It's the main goal for us going into the last game.
"We knew Tottenham had a final on Wednesday, but we needed to stay focused to win.
"We are taking it game-by-game really. We had to go to Bournemouth and win then the focus was on this game. We will rest now and focus on Manchester United.
"It isn't in our hands as of yet but we will do all we can."
Sutton's predictions: Aston Villa v Tottenhampublished at 08:54 BST 16 May
08:54 BST 16 May
Let's face it, everyone on the planet thinks Aston Villa will win this - the same way everyone will expect Chelsea to beat Manchester United in Friday's other game.
The way both Tottenham and United are approaching next week's Europa League final, they are just gripped with fear. It has become like a World Cup final for both clubs.
Both managers will make lots of changes for their matches on Friday, because they are so afraid of injuries to key players but I just don't think that is the way to approach Wednesday's game in Bilbao.
Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou does not want anyone to get injured but the flip side to leaving key people out is that you want to go into a big game with a bit of momentum, and Tottenham do not have any.
I put myself in a position of a Spurs player, and if I am Micky van de Ven or Cristian Romero, I would want to play against Villa and I would want to take that risk.
But what Postecoglou is scared of, naturally, is if something happens to one of them, because then he would be asked 'why on earth did you do that?'
So, we know what he will do and, because of that, you can't make a case for Tottenham beating Villa, or getting anything at all from this game.
On the face of it, things have turned out pretty well for Villa haven't they? Last summer they would have looked at their last two games of the season - Spurs at home on Friday and United away next weekend - and thought that is very tough.
Now, though, they must be rubbing their hands. They are fighting for a top-five finish and they finish up with two games against teams whose focus this week is completely on an all together different prize.
Emery confirms Rashford's season is overpublished at 16:04 BST 15 May
16:04 BST 15 May
Nick Mashiter BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Marcus Rashford will not play in Aston Villa's game against Tottenham
Marcus Rashford has potentially played his last game for Aston Villa after being ruled out of their game with Tottenham.
The striker, on loan from Manchester United, has failed to recover from a hamstring injury he suffered last month.
His absence for the rest of the season was anticipated, even if there was a slim hope he could play a part in Villa's Champions League push.
Rashford cannot play in Villa's final game at parent club United on 25 May and while Villa have a £40m option to buy his future remains unclear.
"Youri (Tielemans) and Marcus are not available and (Jacob) Ramsey is suspended and other players are ready," said boss Unai Emery at his pre-match press conference.
"We have to do each step forward, testing and analysing how they are recovering. I don't know exactly if they (injured players) will be (available next week). Marcus can't play next week.
"But they are working in the facilities every day and they are feeling better."
Rashford has made 17 appearances, scoring four goals, since joining from Old Trafford in February and earned an England recall in March after a 12-month absence.
Villa are sixth in the Premier League, level on points with Chelsea who occupy the final Champions League qualification spot with two games left.
Emery on European ambitions, facing Tottenham and needing fans 'energy'published at 15:37 BST 15 May
15:37 BST 15 May
Nicola Pearson BBC Sport journalist
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Friday's Premier League game against Tottenham at Villa Park (kick-off 19:30 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Emery confirmed Marcus Rashford and Youri Tielemans are not available for Friday's game. Both players are "feeling better" and he is unsure about Tielemans' availability for the final match, but it means on-loan forward Rashford will not feature again with next week's fixture being against Manchester United.
The Villa boss said he "doesn't want holidays" now as his side are in a "very good moment" in the season with two games remaining: "We are very motivated, very excited to play in Villa Park tomorrow with our objective in front of us to play in Europe again. It is not in our hands but we can have the option to play Champions League again."
On if he calculates the permutations needed to qualify for the Champions League: "I can't do the calculations of how it is going because if I was doing calculations five or six matches before, then we are not arriving now with the possibility we have. Only tomorrow's match, only tomorrow's points, only tomorrow and how we can beat the opponent, how we can add more points in the table. That is our responsibility and our focus."
On if it is difficult to know what to expect from Tottenham with them looking ahead to a Europa League final: "How they are performing in Europe is really fantastic and they are in the final. How they can prepare as best as possible for the final? Maybe their first objective is tomorrow. I think they are going to play with better players and I think they will compete with their best performances to get ready for the final."
Emery said they will "need supporters transmitting their energy and wishes" in the final home game on Friday: "All our supporters can come to the stadium to be with us. For the last game at home, we need it full with supporters helping us and supporting us, and we can do our best for them. We have huge commitment to share this moment with them."
On their achievement of managing playing in Europe while still being competitive in the league: "To play in Europe consistently is my objective... We are playing nearly 55 matches in different competitions the past two years. It means we have the demands of Europe too - but I like playing in Europe. I like to get prestige for the club by playing in Europe. For me, it is really fantastic."
Premier League young player award nomineespublished at 15:23 BST 15 May
15:23 BST 15 May
Image source, Getty Images
In addition to Premier League manager and player of the season, the shortlist for young player has also been announced.
Chelsea's Cole Palmer is in the running to win the award for the second year in a row.
The 23-year-old forward has 15 goals and eight assists in 35 appearances.
Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch and Liam Delap, who has scored 12 of Ipswich's 35 goals, are also on the eight-player shortlist.
The other nominees are Anthony Elanga (Nottingham Forest), Dean Huijsen (Bournemouth), Joao Pedro (Brighton), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), and William Saliba (Arsenal).
Do Villa need to sell to comply with PSR this summer?published at 13:00 BST 15 May
13:00 BST 15 May
Image source, Getty Images
BBC Sport chief football writer Phil McNulty has been answering your questions as we approach the final two Premier League games of the season.
Andrew in York asked: What will the summer look like for Aston Villa? Despite getting revenue for going deep into the Champions League, as well as getting a big fee for Jhon Duran in January, there's still talk we have to sell players to comply with PSR?
Phil answered: Aston Villa may have to do deals to fend off any lingering PSR concerns, but I think the club are in safe hands with the current ownership and those sales will be smart without weakening the squad.
We have even seen Morgan Rogers linked with Chelsea, but I do not see Villa entertaining that sort of deal as they want to push on from what Unai Emery has already achieved.
Aston Villa are unbeaten in their past 20 home games in all competitions, winning 14 and drawing six, with Villa most recently having a longer run between September 1976 and May 1977 (24).
Ollie Watkins scored his 75th Premier League goal last time out against Bournemouth, becoming Aston Villa's highest goalscorer in the competition. He is looking to score 10 home goals in the same top-flight season for the first time (currently nine), though none of his three goals against Spurs have come at Villa Park.
Watkins still priceless despite selection issuespublished at 15:56 BST 14 May
15:56 BST 14 May
Mike Taylor BBC Radio WM reporter
Image source, Getty Images
"Worth his weight in gold," was Lee Hendrie's opinion of Ollie Watkins' importance to Aston Villa after his goal at Bournemouth kept them in the race for a return to the Champions League next season.
It took a few minutes of careful guesswork and long multiplication, but I reckon that after the recent rise in the going rate, Ollie Watkins' weight in gold would be worth about £6m. So, if he scores the goals to carry Villa to a top-five finish, even gold wouldn't do his value justice.
You will recall that late in the mid-season transfer window, Arsenal evidently made their own assessment of Watkins' value, reportedly offering between £45m and £60m to sign him. Villa rejected that out of hand, and there was some indignance around Villa Park that night at what was perceived as cynical behaviour, seeking to unsettle the player on the day of their Champions League game against Celtic.
It was hard to imagine Villa agreeing to let Watkins leave. At that point, his alternate was still Jhon Duran, not quite on his way to the Middle East, and the idea of signing Marcus Rashford still felt speculative. Watkins had already seen off one challenge to his regular starting place – Duran's red card at Newcastle ended that experiment – and later would be displaced temporarily by Rashford, but whenever deployed he was demonstrably the same as ever, doggedly chasing and harrying opponents, looking for an opening.
His obviously undimmed appetite for work made the controversy around his comments last month, regarding Rashford's selection ahead of him for the two games against Paris St-Germain, feel a little confected. Watkins said he had been "fuming" about not starting those games, and had told Unai Emery just that. The reaction was really a measure of how seldom players feel they can speak plainly in public without causing offence or chaos. In Watkins' position, you'd have been fuming too, and so would I. So, probably, would Emery, whose respect for Watkins' professionalism has been clear for a long time. It was just business. Watkins made his point in a grown-up way, and pressed on.
Perhaps the day will come when an offer for Watkins, who will be 30 later this year, feels right for all parties. But good strikers are hard to find, dependable ones doubly so.
Watkins spoke of his pride at fulfilling his aim to score more Premier League goals for Villa than anyone else. Given continued form and fitness, he could put that record out of anyone else's reach for years to come, and it will be good for Villa if he does.
'It should never happen' - has offside rule been a 'time bomb'?published at 13:14 BST 14 May
13:14 BST 14 May
Image source, Getty Images
For the players and fans, Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi getting this injury in a situation where the offside flag should have been raised is so frustrating.
The frustration is when it is clear and obvious. Officials have been overseeing games for many years and they would always flag whether they were right or wrong.
Now technology has come into it, they are very reliant on VAR to make the right decision, the factual decision, about an offside. But, I think when an offside is so clear and obvious, it should be the duty of the assistant referee to put their flag up and stop play from the off.
When it is marginal, I understand we are a bit more hesitant when there are really fine margins, and we have seen those fine margins when goals have been given and it is a toenail to keep them on-side. I would understand it from that point of view, but it was on the halfway-line where the offside happened on Sunday, only for play to be allowed to continue.
It has been a matter of time. It has been a time bomb waiting to go off for somebody to get seriously injured. Awoniyi is the one that has got that injury - that horrific injury - because of it. Some will say it is only the first time it has happened in the duration of this rule, but it should never happen. That is how players will be looking at it, how fans and managers will be looking at it and saying 'it should never happen'. We should not wait for something to happen to reassess rules like this.
I don't like the ruling of it - it is on the halfway-line, it is clear and obviously offside, everybody in the stadium could probably see it. It should be for the assistant referee to make the decision. There are small margins in the box, I understand why they are a bit hesitant, but in open play, if somebody is sprinting, you could cause hamstring, quad, and all types of muscle injuries.
I am totally against this rule of waiting to put up the flag and I think most players and managers are as well. It's disappointing. I think it's a rule that nobody likes, and I'm sure in the summer off the back of this injury, one that will probably be reassessed.
Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson
Why Villa could miss out...published at 16:42 BST 13 May
16:42 BST 13 May
Media caption,
Speaking on The Football News Show, former Chelsea and Scotland winger Pat Nevin believes Aston Villa could miss out on Champions League qualification due to their inferior goal difference and exertions in other competitions this season.
Will Watkins fire Villa back into Champions League?published at 12:14 BST 13 May
12:14 BST 13 May
David Michael Fan writer
Image source, PA Media
While he's still some way off Aston Villa's all-time top scorer Billy Walker - who netted 244 goals between 1920 and 1934 - Ollie Watkins has now become the club's record Premier League goalscorer, with 75 goals in 182 league appearances.
Watkins reached the milestone in almost half the appearances it took the previous record holder, Gabby Agbonlahor, who managed 74 goals in 322 games - a stat that also reflects Villa's accelerated progress in recent seasons.
While Watkins grabbed headlines with his dramatic winner for England in the Euro 2024 semi-final, Villa fans will now be hoping the next step in his evolution is becoming the kind of clinical big-game finisher the club can rely on.
The stakes in Villa's final two league games are certainly on a similar level, giving the England striker an instant platform to make such a statement.
First up is a rare Friday night double-header, with Villa and their direct Champions League rivals Chelsea each taking on teams who have one eye on their own quest for a Champions League spot through winning the Europa League final.
Surely, both Spurs and Manchester United will prioritise resting players for next week's final, but will one be weaker than the other?
Villa will play both finalists in their last two league games, so a Watkins winner against Spurs and a legendary hat-trick at Old Trafford would be just the tonic to help Villa snatch a top-five place.
Not only would it also give Watkins his 20-goal target for this season, but it would set him up nicely in attempting to cross the 100 Premier League goals line next season.
