Aston Villa will play Champions League football in 2024-25 after Manchester City defeated Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday night.
The West Midlands outfit began the week with a four-point lead over Spurs, who came from behind to defeat Burnley at the weekend.
However, that was extended to five points on Monday evening as Villa recorded a stunning late comeback to secure a 3-3 draw against Liverpool.
As a result, Spurs were left requiring all three points against Man City at the Tottenham Hotspur in order to extend the race for fourth to the final day.
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Although Ange Postecoglou's side impressed during the first half, two Erling Haaland goals after the break secured City a 2-0 victory in North London.
While City are now on the brink of winning a fourth successive Premier League title, Villa are celebrating securing their first ever appearance in the Champions League.
How long has passed since Villa featured in European Cup?
A total of 41 years have passed since Villa last competed in European football's premier competition, when it was known as the European Cup.
Being confirmed in fourth place also secures Villa's best finish in the Premier League since the 1995-96 campaign, when only the top three qualified for the Champions League.
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Despite their impressive finish in one of European football's most difficult leagues, Villa can expect to play some of the biggest clubs in next season's reformed competition.
Eight extra games will feature on Villa's schedule with the Champions League changing to one 36-team group, and Villa's extended absence from Europe before this campaign currently leaves them in 81st place in the live UEFA coefficient rankings.
All the 36 qualifiers are yet to be decided, but Villa are effectively guaranteed to be ranked towards the bottom of the UEFA coefficient rankings when the playoff round has been concluded.
That should ensure that a number of European giants are allocated to Villa, with teams only playing each other on one occasion.
