Villa keep alive English hopes of six Champions League spots

Aston Villa's Europa League win against Freiburg ended their 44-year wait for a European trophy - and kept alive the Premier League's hopes of a sixth Champions League spot next season.

Unai Emery's men had already confirmed their place in next season's elite European competition with a top-five finish, but now Bournemouth and Brighton will know sixth place could earn a place alongside them.

If the Villans finish fifth in the Premier League, Unai Emery's side will qualify for the Champions League as the Europa League winners.

The extra Champions League place that the Premier League earned through the European Performance Spot would then go to the team finishing sixth.

Villa would finish fifth in they lost at Manchester City and Liverpool also won at home to Brentford.

Should that happen, the Champions League qualification focus then turns to sixth spot. If Bournemouth avoid defeat at Nottingham Forest, or Brighton fail to win at home to Manchester United, the Cherries would finish sixth.

Should Bournemouth lose and Brighton win, it would then be the Seagulls who claimed sixth spot.