Everton 1 Aston Villa 2
Aston Villa rekindled their hopes of playing in European competition next season after a superb late goal from Anwar El Ghazi gave them a 2-1 win at Everton in an action-packed Premier League clash on Saturday.
The result left Everton, who have won only one of their last 10 league matches at home, eighth on 52 points from 33 games while Villa moved two places up to ninth on 48 points.
Ollie Watkins fired the visitors ahead in the 13th minute when he robbed Mason Holgate of the ball and steered his shot past Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford but Villa's joy was short-lived.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin levelled six minutes later as he nodded in a Lucas Digne corner at the far post and missed a gilt-edged chance shortly afterwards, with Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez keeping out the striker's close-range header.
Villa dominated the final 20 minutes of an absorbing first half as they missed one chance after another, with El Ghazi and Ross Barkley hitting the woodwork while Pickford denied Bertrand Traore twice in quick succession.
The pace fizzed out in the closing stages and just as the game seemed to be heading for a draw, El Ghazi picked his spot on the edge of the area in the 80th minute and beat Pickford with an unstoppable shot into the top corner.
