Aston Villa Clinches Conference League Spot on Final Day as Premier League Season Closes
The Spanish coach of Aston Villa, Unai Emery, led his team to a 2-1 victory over Brighton on the season’s last day, sealing a place in the UEFA Conference League. It was a dramatic finish for an Aston Villa side that had been in the hunt for European football since October and finished in seventh place, a position that grants entry to the Conference League. Leicester City and Leeds United also failed to secure salvation on the final day, leaving them to reflect on what might have been.
Villa hosted Brighton in a tense finale, with goals from Douglas Luiz and Ollie Watkins securing the win for the home side. Brighton had closed the gap before the break and aimed to finish higher up the table, but Emery’s squad held firm to clinch the Conference League ticket. The day saw Spurs and Brentford also chasing seventh place in the combined final standings. Tottenham Hotspur boosted their fortunes with a 1-4 win against Leeds, while Brentford celebrated a favorable result at home at the Brentford Community Stadium.
In London, Manchester City had already secured the title two weeks earlier, and their focus this day shifted to two forthcoming finals in their calendar, the FA Cup and the Champions League. Amid the action, Leeds United and Leicester City both tasted disappointment, with Leeds slipping down as Leicester’s season ended with a defeat to West Ham. Everton, meanwhile, beat Bournemouth 1-0 in a match that carried significant tension and left both clubs short of the required margins for safety.
On other fronts, Liverpool and Chelsea closed their campaigns with draws, ending the season on a high note with 4-4 stalemates against Southampton and Newcastle, respectively. Manchester United defeated Fulham 2-1, and Arsenal, already eyeing a long-awaited league title win, routed Wolves 5-0 as they moved closer to the championship in a run that now stands at 19 years and counting. These results painted a final-day picture of drama, reversals, and the enduring pull of the Premier League’s competitive edge.
Results from the day include a spectrum of outcomes across the league, shaping the post-season landscape and confirming European qualifications for several clubs. Arsenal impressed with a commanding 5-0 victory over Wolves, while Aston Villa edged Brighton 2-1 to secure their European return. Brentford claimed a 1-0 win against Manchester City, underscoring the day’s surprising performances. Chelsea and Newcastle settled for a 1-1 draw, and Crystal Palace drew with Nottingham Forest. Everton’s 1-0 win over Bournemouth added a late-season boost for the Toffees, and Leeds United’s 1-4 loss to Tottenham sealed their relegation concerns, with Leicester beating West Ham 2-1 to compound the day’s mixed fortunes. Manchester United’s 2-1 win over Fulham and Southampton’s 4-4 draw with Liverpool highlighted a weekend full of unpredictable twists in the race for glory and survival.
results of the day
Arsenal 5-0 Wolves
Aston Villa 2-1 Brighton
Brentford 1-0 Manchester City
Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
Crystal Palace 1-1 Nottingham Forest
Everton 1-0 Bournemouth
Leeds United 1-4 Tottenham
Leicester 2-1 West Ham
Manchester United 2-1 Fulham
Southampton 4-4 Liverpool