Aston Villa’s bid to finish in the Premier League’s top four was dented by a 1-0 defeat at Brighton, while Chelsea beat West Ham 5-0 to keep their European qualification hopes alive on Sunday. A Villa win combined with Tottenham’s defeat to Liverpool in Sunday’s final game would have sealed a Champions League place for Unai Emery’s side. But Villa were unable to fulfill their part of that equation, as João Pedro’s 87th-minute goal condemned them to a second painful defeat in four days.
Ending Brighton’s six-game winless run, Pedro headed in the rebound after Robin Olsen saved his penalty, awarded for Ezri Konsa’s foul on Simon Adingra.
Surprisingly beaten 4-2 by Olympiakos in the first leg of the Europa Conference League semi-finals on Thursday, Villa were well below their best once again.
Villa remain in fourth place, seven points ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham, who have two games in hand.
Emery’s men host Liverpool and travel to Crystal Palace in their final two games as they fight to return to the Champions League for the first time since 1982-83.
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea defeated London rivals West Ham and overtook Manchester United to occupy seventh place.
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is struggling to convince club co-owner Todd Boehly to give him a second season in charge following his troubled debut campaign.
Pochettino admits it is “not his decision” to stay, but securing a place in Europe could be enough to avoid being fired.
Cole Palmer put Chelsea ahead in the 15th minute with his 21st league goal of the season, the striker firing home after West Ham had failed to clear.
Conor Gallagher doubled Chelsea’s lead in the 30th minute with a powerful shot after West Ham’s Kurt Zouma deflected the ball towards the midfielder.
Noni Madueke scored Chelsea’s third six minutes later when the winger headed home Thiago Silva from close range.
Nicolas Jackson piled on the misery for a woeful West Ham in the 48th minute with a Madueke cross.
The Senegalese striker scored again 10 minutes from time.
The lopsided nature of the defeat did little to calm speculation over the future of West Ham manager David Moyes, who has been criticized by fans for his negative game plans.
Ninth-placed West Ham have reportedly held talks with former Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui and may opt to move on from Moyes, whose contract expires at the end of the season.
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