It was always going to be difficult to follow up the glories of booking a Europa League final place for Aston Villa but the draw at Burnley fell even below those expectations. This was supposed to be the day Villa all-but-secured Champions League football by beating an already-relegated team but instead went through the motions at Turf Moor.
Villa are four points clear of sixth-placed Bournemouth with two games remaining but this felt like a missed opportunity, even if they do have the further backup of facing Freiburg in Istanbul for a place at Europe’s top table. Jaidon Anthony and Zian Flemming sandwiched goals from Ross Barkley and Ollie Watkins, ensuring Villa cannot afford to completely rest for the remainder of the domestic season.
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