Aston Villa

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Burnley and Aston Villa.

Here are some of your comments:

Burnley fans

Dave: If we had played with that kind of spirit and intensity for the last six months we would not be going down. Player against player, virtually EVERY team has been so much better than us, but if you believe and play with that kind of passion, it makes all the difference.

Cunla: A much better performance. We tried to get on the front foot and could easily have won.

Peter: It was definitely the best 90 minutes of the season. Had we played like that more often we would still be in the Premier League for next season. Give Mike Jackson the job now and try and keep most of the squad together but get rid of the deadwood like Lyle Foster!!

John: I really enjoyed this game. First time in a while. I've remembered why I buy a season ticket.

Aston Villa fans

Ian: Players walking around in the first half and what appeared to be a lack of desire isn't good enough. No disrespect to Burnley, who deserved the draw, but Villa were playing a relegated side and could have cemented their Champions League place. It simply isn't good enough. There's no guarantee of winning the Europa League final and they can't rely on teams below them losing. Villa need to adopt a top four or five mentality and achieve things for the fans and the club.

Mark: Yet again a total lack of intensity and continually giving away the ball in our own half, it will cost us if we fail to get Champions League.

Prit: Another complacent performance by Villa against another team in the bottom three. It's important to qualify for European competitions through the league so it is vital Villa turn up for the last two matches. Another tip, try passing the ball to another Aston Villa player.

Claire: Villa never do it the easy way, so we have another tense, nail-biting finish to the season. It's hard to believe the same team could be so different just three days apart. We need to beat Liverpool to be safe.

Scottish midfielder Bailey Rice, 19, is set to leave Rangers this summer and Aston Villa are among the Premier League clubs interested in signing him. (Football Insider), external

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Pundits Shay Given and Danny Murphy join host Kelly Cates to bring you the action and talking points from Sunday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• West Ham 0-1 Arsenal

• Burnley 2-2 Aston Villa

• Nottingham Forest 1-1 Newcastle

• Crystal Palace 2-2 Everton

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, speaking to BBC MOTD: "It was a fantastic performance. I'm very happy with how they competed to try and get the three points.

"We conceded three clear chances and they scored two goals - we have to avoid these situations.

"I'm happy how we are competing in two competitions. It's not easy to compete in the Premier League but we're in the top-five and that's fantastic.

"Some players were very tired, but the commitment was fantastic. Their ambition and mentality to play on Thursday and again here is fantastic. We are not consistent like at the start of the season but the league is 38 matches."

On Ollie Watkins' form: "He is doing fantastic - he is a fighter. Three months ago he was a little down but we always have conversations about being consistent and working for the team every match.

"Now he is getting the numbers."

Villa goalscorer Ollie Watkins, speaking to BBC MOTD: "It was a valuable point. If you can't win then don't lose. Our away form hasn't been where we want it - we haven't won away since around January at Newcastle.

"We've done amazing to get to this position with our home form so we can't be too picky. It's unfortunate we couldn't see it out after leading."

On energy levels after playing in Europe: "You have to dig in and leave it all out there in Europe, but now we've got time to rest and recover. The big midweek performance against Nottingham Forest left everyone tired and a short turnaround wasn't ideal."

On their confidence levels for the run-in: "We get confidence from what we've done over previous seasons under this manager. We put in hard work day in and day out. I'm very confident in myself and everyone that is around the club."

Listen to Emery on BBC Sounds

Did you know?

• Aston Villa have gained 20 points from losing positions in the Premier League this season, the most of any side. It's their second-most in a single campaign in the competition, after 1993-94 (21).

• Emiliano Martínez was the first Aston Villa goalkeeper to assist a Premier League goal since Brad Guzan vs Manchester City in September 2013.

• Ollie Watkins' goal was Aston Villa's 1,500th in the Premier League, becoming the ninth club to hit that figure in the competition.

Emlyn Begley
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Over the past nine games Villa's league form (eight points) would see them in the relegation zone - a run that has put their Champions League position into some doubt.

They were highly impressive in Thursday's 4-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the Europa League semi-final second leg, which set up an Istanbul final with Freiburg.

Win that and Villa would be in the Champions League anyway - but they will want to do it through the Premier League.

Boss Unai Emery only made three changes from that win over Forest, but Villa did not come near to replicating that performance.

They missed several chances but also rode their luck to not go 2-0 behind.

Watkins thought he had made it 1-1 with a header into an empty net from Morgan Rogers' cross, but it was ruled out by the VAR for offside.

Barkley did level with a fine glancing header across the goal from a McGinn corner.

And when Watkins controlled Martinez's long ball on his shoulder before getting past two defenders and beating the onrushing Max Weiss, it felt like they should have been able to see it out.

But Matty Cash lost possession on the right and was made to pay by the Clarets.

Villa must now hope Bournemouth and Brighton both drop points - or else they will have to get something from games against Liverpool and Manchester City to seal that top-five spot.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Burnley's performance

What did you make of Aston Villa's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Burnley make six changes from the side who lost to Leeds last time out.

German goalkeeper Max Weiss makes his Premier League debut. Defender Axel Tuanzebe makes his first appearance for the club in three months, while Lesley Ugochukwu, Hannibal Mejbri and Florentino all come in too.

Burnley XI: Weiss, Walker, Esteve, Tuanzebe, Pires, Ugochukwu, Florentino, Hannibal, Tchaouna, Anthony, Flemming.

Subs: Dubravka, Hartman, Bruun Larsen, Foster, Humphreys, Ward-Prowse, Amdouni, Broja, Laurent.

Aston Villa only make three switches from their Europa League win over Nottingham Forest. Ross Barkley, Tyrone Mings and Ian Maatsen replace Pau Torres, Lucas Digne and Emiliano Buendia.

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen, Lindelof, Tielemans, Barkley, McGinn, Rogers, Watkins.

Subs: Bizot, Buendia, Digne, Torres, Abraham, Sancho, Luiz, Bogarde, Bailey.

There are four games in the Premier League on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Burnley v Aston Villa - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Crystal Palace v Everton - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Nottingham Forest v Newcastle - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• West Ham v Arsenal (16:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-offs 14:00 BST unless stated

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Fifth-placed Aston Villa were booed off last weekend after losing at home to struggling Tottenham.

Unai Emery had made a lot of changes with his side's Europa League semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest in mind and they were pretty awful against Spurs.

Still, even if they are poor again here, I think they will get the better of managerless Burnley.

Sutton's prediction: 0-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Prudent Nsengiyumva
BBC Sport journalist

Relegated Burnley attempt to halt a hapless home run on Sunday (14:00 BST) when they welcome an Aston Villa side seeking Champions League qualification.

Burnley's home troubles show no sign of easing

Burnley's difficulties at Turf Moor have defined their season. They are winless in 13 Premier League home matches since October and risk equalling their longest such run in the competition if they fail to beat Villa.

It is part of a wider slump, with just one win in their past 26 league games. A change in the dugout has not yet shifted the trajectory, albeit Michael Jackson is still in the early stages of his tenure.

Burnley are winless in their past five league meetings with Villa and have rarely found this fixture straightforward in the Premier League era.

An isolated bright spot for the Clarets has been goalkeeper Martin Dubravka. He has made the most saves of any goalkeeper in the league – a reflection of the pressure Burnley have faced defensively. Despite conceding 71 goals, his performances have prevented an already bleak season from being even worse.

Villa's away form remains a concern

Villa have only collected seven points from their past eight league games, a run that has slowed their push for a top five finish. Nonetheless, it would take a significant collapse to miss out on Champions League qualification through their league position.

Reaching the Europa League final has offered an alternative route into Europe's top competition and may allow Unai Emery's side to play with more freedom in the run-in.

Their away record, though, continues to undermine them, with Villa winless in their past five league matches on the road.

Hannah Gowen
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

On Thursday night, Unai Emery and his group of players solidified themselves firmly into Aston Villa history.

A jubilant 4-0 victory over Nottingham Forest sees Villa into their first European final since 1982 - the year they lifted the European Cup.

It was a huge night for the club, no doubt. But it is the fans that will feel the magnitude of this victory most of all.

Ten minutes before kick off, Villa Park was vibrating. Flags, flares and flashing lights galore. It was an atmosphere that will most certainly be etched into Villa folklore. The fans felt the size of the occasion, with decades of disappointment and yearning for success manifesting into a chorus of 42,000 Villans in full voice.

From the whistle, it was a remarkable performance, with Emery's gameplan executed with precision. The introduction of Victor Lindelof into the midfield stalled Forest in the early stages, while the energy of Ollie Watkins, John McGinn and Emi Buendia caused problems for the weakened visitors.

Villa have had some sluggish performances this season, but this game highlighted the very best of their capability under Emery - a manager born to coach in knock-out tournaments.

A trip to Istanbul is confirmed. Flights and hotels are being booked by the thousand, with many more looking to travel than the prescribed 11,000 ticket allocation. The streets of Turkiye's largest city are set to be painted claret and blue in just over 10 days' time.

The prospect of European victory for this club cannot be understated. When owners NSWE appointed Emery three and a half years ago, the promise of a return to the top echelons of the footballing world felt a far cry from their dwindling Premier League status.

One more game and the hopes and dreams of all those affiliated with Aston Villa could be achieved. For now, it's time to celebrate this magnificent leap over the penultimate hurdle.

Find more from Hannah Gowen at UTV, external

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Boss Unai Emery insists Aston Villa must prioritise the Premier League to ensure they reach the Champions League.

The Spaniard guided Villa to the Europa League final after Thursday's 4-1 semi-final aggregate win against Nottingham Forest.

They face Freiburg in Istanbul on 20 May with the winner qualifying for the Champions League.

Villa sit fifth in the Premier League, the final Champions League spot, and Emery wants to seal qualification via the top flight.

"If we are losing (the final), we are not getting a trophy, we are not getting the Champions League position for the next year, and we must, again, watch the league, and how we are finishing in the league," he said, ahead of Sunday's trip to Burnley.

"The priority to achieve our objective is through the league. In the league, we are not performing the last matches like we were.

"The consistency is still to try to set the consistency during the league.

"Burnley on Sunday is a huge opportunity. A huge opportunity to try to get the fifth position definitely, or of course, waiting for the next two matches against Liverpool and Manchester City.

"This opportunity is on Sunday and of course, it's the priority now, and it's very, very important."

Image source, Getty Images

Four months on from their visit to Istanbul to face Fenerbahce in the Europa League group phase, Aston Villa will be back in the Turkish capital once more for the final, on Wednesday, 20 May.

The Villans will meet German side SC Freiburg at Besiktas Park - which has a capacity of just under 38,000.

Istanbul sits across two continents with the Bosphorus Strait splitting the city - the western side is in Europe and the eastern side in Asia.

There is no shortage of things to see - highlights include the Dolmabahce Palace, Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque.

If you're travelling to the Turkish capital without a ticket, there is set to be a Fan Festival held in Besiktas Square.

Istanbul (IST) and Sabiha Gokcen (SAW) are the two closest airports to the city centre. According to Uefa,, external free shuttles to the city centre will operate from both on Tuesday 19 and Wednesday 20 May. They also say public transport in the city will be free for ticket holders from the start of matchday until 06:00 local time Thursday 21 May.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Emi Buendia was not expected to still be at Aston Villa by now.

Having been loaned out to Bayer Leverkusen in the second half of last season, making just three Bundesliga starts, his Villa career looked over.

A record signing when he joined from Norwich in a deal rising to £38m in 2021, the playmaker struggled to live up to the billing and scored just four goals in 38 games in his debut season.

A serious knee injury forced him to miss the whole of 2023-24 and left him in the shadows as his team-mates qualified for the Champions League.

Villa were ready to sell last summer as they looked to comply with Profit and Sustainability rules - but ultimately decided to keep the 29-year-old.

He has been one of Emery's most dependable players this season, scoring 10 goals, and is one of the reasons Harvey Elliott's loan move from Liverpool has failed.

"I took responsibility," he told TNT of the penalty." "It was one of the most decisive penalties for the club in recent years, but I didn't feel pressure. I felt calm, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

"We showed the whole season how good we can play. The result is amazing and I think we deserve it.

"I think the prestige to win a trophy, with the history this club has - it would be amazing. The fans really want this trophy for us and we will try."

Former Villa striker Dion Dublin gave Buendia praise and feels he offers something different.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Buendia goes below the radar. He plays good passes, weight of pass is good. His finishing is good.

"He's nasty too, he doesn't mind putting a foot in. He is one of those players Villa need in their side in order to achieve things. He doesn't want the plaudits, he just wants to play and get to finals."

Vibrant and victorious - read more of Nick's reflections on Villa's achievement here

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views after Aston Villa beat Nottingham Forest 4-0 on the night and 4-1 on aggregate to reach the final of the Europa League.

Here are some of your comments:

Richard: What a fantastic team performance. Every single player put in a shift. McGinn covered every blade of grass. Emery, the backroom staff, the players and especially the electric Villa fans deserve this moment - everyone has worked so hard to get there. As an 11 year old I was allowed to stay up and watch Villa's European Cup win over Bayern. Some 44 years later I will definitely be watching Villa in a European final again.

Steve: Wow they say a week is a long time in football. After one of the worst performances on Sunday this was one of the best in living memory. Brilliant support, fantastic application by the players - we never stopped pressing and chasing. Watkins and Buendia were outstanding. Istanbul won't know what's hit them!

Mike: I've followed Villa for over 40 years and had almost given up hope of ever seeing them in a European final but here we are on the edge of cup glory and I couldn't be happier. What a total turnaround from the last couple of games and what a time to turn in the performance of the season. Emery's tactics were spot on giving Watkins, Rogers and McGinn free range to stamp their authority on the game. The fans also played their part fully earning their reputation as the 12th man. The final will be a historic.

Jay: That was probably the best 90 minutes I have seen them play since Emery arrived and that's factoring the enormous pressure they must have been under coming off a terrible run of games against a team in top form albeit hampered by absentees. I said before the game that all I wanted was my team to show up and I'll be happy. They went well beyond just showing up!

Pauline: Out of this World Villa. Well-deserved win. All players were brilliant but John McGinn was out if this world.

Ian: Pre-match nerves after the Spurs debacle were soon dissipated after a spirited first few minutes. A great team performance that dispelled the notion we were in line for a deflating finale to the season. Can't wait for Istanbul.

Alex: Well what a fantastic night! That's why Villa supporters can get frustrated sometimes because we know how great this team can be. Excellent commitment to get to the Europa final. It's a massive match on 20 May in the final but also a big game against Burnley on Sunday to maybe as good as wrap up a Champions League place. Well done to the manager as ever... inspirational team selection and motivation. In Unai we trust. Please stay!

Image source, Getty Images

Former Aston Villa forward Dion Dublin says Unai Emery's side "gave blood, sweat and tears" as they "blew Nottingham Forest apart" to reach the Europa League final.

Villa are a game away from their first major silverware for three decades and a first European trophy in 44 years as they look to try to stand with the club's European champions of 1982.

"The players in claret and blue put a proper shift in," said Dublin on BBC Radio 5 Live. "They did everything correct to a man and gave blood, sweat and tears.

"When you're in a position like this, you look in the mirror and say 'I need to do a job' and those Villa players did their job.

"You have to trust the manager because even though they all have individual bits of skill, you have to take into consideration it's a team game and as a team they could be a juggernaut.

"I've not seen Villa play like that for a long time. So convincing.

"Anyone coming into Villa Park with the noise [from the fans] and atmosphere would have found it hard to handle.

"It's a night I don't think any of us will forget. It's not happened in a while.

"It wasn't a given Villa would reach the final just because they're a big football club, but they worked incredibly hard and they showed what they can do.

"They blew Forest apart and pushed them aside because they want to be in the final. They said 'this is our house and you're getting nothing from us'."

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Aston Villa boss Unai Emery speaking to the media after Thursday's Europa League semi-final win over Nottingham Forest: "We were demanding after the first-leg because we played a good match but it wasn't enough.

"We weren't clinical enough in the last part and how we finished was balanced because not conceding a second goal was very important.

"At Villa Park we were expecting something different. The things that weren't working too well; we tried to prepare better.

"We really pushed the players and were focused on the match and the things we needed to improve after the first-leg.

"The players responded fantastic. It was huge and the support that was created helped us.

"How we won the match was more or less in the plan we had."

On Prince William being in attendance: "He was in the dressing room with the players and me, and of course, he is so happy as well."

On the importance of the second-leg being at Villa Park: "We planned before how we would play the match emotionally. This is the only game we have played in this circumstance. We played a semi-final two years ago in the Conference League but it was away [at Olympiakos].

"We've also played a semi-final of the FA Cup in London [Wembley], so to play the second-leg here with the possibility of getting to the final was the only moment we have had here [at Villa Park].

"We were so, so motivated and excited. We were so confident in having our supporters here and creating an atmosphere. Our focus was to play, play and play and they have."

On facing Freiburg in the final: "It will be 50:50. They will be a very difficult game because they have good players, good coaches and a good competitive way.

"We have days and weeks to enjoy this with our supporters which is something fantastic."

On what European competition means to him after making his sixth final: "Europe is very important, but in my first press conference here, I was speaking about being here and trophies.

"It's very difficult to win trophies in Europe and be consistent like we are. It's through our hard work and with the players being demanding.

"We know what we want to achieve and the players were at their best collectively and individually."

Hit play above or listen to Emery on BBC Sounds

Former Aston Villa striker Dion Dublin believes Villa boss Unai Emery is a "master" of the Europa League after he reached the sixth final of his career.

"Aston Villa got their tactics absolutely spot on tonight," he said on BBC Radio 5 Live after the final whistle. "We know Emery is the master of this competition.

"He's done it again. He set a team up to get to a final and I've got to say, [they've done it] comfortably."

Image source, THE I PAPER

Speaking about captain John McGinn, who helped his side over the line with two second half goals and became the first Villa player to score a brace in a major European semi-final, Dublin said: "McGinn wears the armband with pride. He leads this team with pride.

"This is a massive football club, and these are the finals that Aston Villa need to be in to back that up."

Image source, THE DAILY EXPRESS

BBC Radio 5 Live senior reporter Ian Dennis, who witnessed the game unfold in Villa's favour, said: "Generations of Villa supporters have been dreaming of this. They were so close two years ago in the Conference League against Olympiacos, but they were never really in it after losing the first leg.

"The Champions League is everything if they are to challenge the other top clubs in the Premier League. But they put aside their league form and were never in any danger here. They thoroughly deserved the win."

Image source, THE DAILY MIRROR