Aston Villa captain John McGinn joked his side will “have our Man City tops on” on Tuesday after closing in on Champions League qualification with a 3-3 draw with Liverpool.
Jhon Duran scored twice in the final 10 minutes as Villa came from 3-1 down to earn a vital point, which means they will be guaranteed a top-four spot if Tottenham fail to beat Manchester City on Tuesday night.
If Spurs win, their fate will go down to the final day where Villa travel to an in-form Crystal Palace while the London club visit already-relegated Sheffield United.
And McGinn was hoping City can do the job for them in north London.
“It’s a brilliant effort towards the end,” he told Sky Sports. “We got a bit of luck. It’s been a tough few weeks with lads coming back and playing through the pain barrier.
On the brink of Champions League football...
John McGinn is making no secret of who he'll be supporting Tuesday night 🧢 pic.twitter.com/SjChz67YdG— Premier League (@premierleague) May 13, 2024
“There’s some of us that have never been close to the Champions League in our life.
“The manager has a no-excuse mentality. People have written us off and we’ve floated under the radar.
“We’ll have our Man City tops on tomorrow.”
Boss Unai Emery said his only focus was on preparing for Sunday’s match with Palace and not what happens at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“I am exhausted, more than the players,” he said. “We are very proud of how we finished here, not winning, but playing a match with desire to beat Liverpool and get to the fourth position.
Tough game tonight, Villa Park was bouncing 🔥 Thank you for your support Villans 🟣🔵 #M19🌪️ pic.twitter.com/SQaNpM8f1n
— Moussa Diaby (@MoussaDiaby_19) May 13, 2024
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“We didn’t get it and there is still one match to play on Sunday at Palace. We were here creating something special.
“It is not in my hands, there are other teams playing for different objectives.”
Villa had looked dead and buried as Emiliano Martinez’s astonishing gaffe handed the Reds a second-minute goal, which was cancelled out by Youri Tielemans, before strikes from Cody Gakpo and Jarell Quansah put them 3-1 up in Jurgen Klopp’s final away game in charge.
For Klopp, all roads now lead to Anfield where he will end his nine-year stint as Liverpool boss on what will surely be an emotional farewell against Wolves.
Despite his side’s late capitulation, he was not too unhappy.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 13, 2024
“I don’t feel frustrated today, maybe I should, but I just don’t,” Klopp said.
“I am really happy. We have seen these kinds of games before, we all saw games where one team is playing for absolutely everything, qualifying for the Champions League for Aston Villa probably means everything, and one team is already fixed in a position we are.
“The challenge was we had to show character and they showed sensational character and attitude. I loved that.
“You can make of it what you want, that’s the story of the season or whatever, I don’t see it like that.
“If that’s the story of the season then it’s the boys have really good character and a sensational attitude.
“I know nobody wants to hear it, but being this season the third best team in the league from where we are coming from is a statement.”
