Aston Villa remained firmly in the race to rehabilitate the Champions League by beating a statement against his European colleagues in Newcastle United.
UNai Emery 4-1 team has run out of a sparkling width in Villa Park, to move the level on points with Nottingham Forest in fifth and two only behind Newcastle in third place.
The fifth consecutive victory in the league was the ideal response to the Champions League in the middle of the week, with a villa to return to the Premier League competition in Europe next season.
“Villa has destroyed Newcastle,” said former Everton midfielder Pat Nevin on BBC Radio 5 Live.
“A lot of teams started wetting at this stage of the season. Aston Villa is not. It looks very strong.”
Speaking to Sky Sports, former Captain Liverpool added: “Aston Villa dismantled the model team in the Premier League. From one minute, it was excellent.
“Almost an administrative master, from the team is [Unai Emery] Choose, the style they played, the alternatives he brought. All he did tonight got a right. “
After that, there is a trip to Manchester City, another team fighting to make the first five places.
“Faith and our ability to show – we have done that day,” Emery told the BBC match from today.
“Tuesday is another test and another challenge for the team and the club. Man City is another huge test.”
City kept themselves in the UEFA Champions League places out of courtesy to win 2-0 against Everton.
But with just five points, Newcastle and Chelsea separate the seventh place – a gap that can be cut into two if the Blues won in Fulham on Sunday – it seems that the first five race is scheduled to go down to the wire.
As such, after spent a large part of the season in the first three places, Nottingham Forest can occupy sixth place by time they start in Tottenham Monday evening.
Up to 11 European places, and there will certainly be at least eight teams – among the seven usual – playing in Europe next season, but things may change in the coming weeks.
This means that Crystal Palace in twelfth place still has something to play.
BBC Sport has a look at the number of teams that can qualify for both European competitions – the Champions League, the European League and conference conferences.
