All the latest Aston Villa news as Unai Emery gears up for a difficult – but exciting – end to the Premier League season
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Referee John Brooks talks to Nicolas Jackson
Nicolas Jackson has handed Aston Villa a big boost in the race for a Champions League finish(Image: Photo by Chelsea Football Club/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Nicolas Jackson has given Aston Villa a huge boost to their hopes of securing qualification to the UEFA Champions League. The 23-year-old striker will miss the rest of the Premier League season due to suspension, denting Chelsea's chances of finishing in the top five.
During the first half of the Blues' clash against Newcastle United at St. James' Park on Sunday afternoon, Jackson was given his marching orders. John Brooks initially showed the Senegal international a yellow card following an aerial collision with Sven Botman in the middle of the park.
Darren England, the Video Assistant Referee, and his assistant, Natalie Aspinall, reviewed the incident at Stockley Park, sending Brooks to the pitch-side monitor. The on-field referee had a look at the incident and upgraded the caution to a red card.
An official statement from the Premier League Match Centre on X read: "VAR checked the referee’s call of yellow card to Jackson – and deemed that the challenge by Jackson on Botman was a serious foul play offence, therefore recommended an on-field review. The referee then upgraded the yellow to a red card."
Jackson will now serve a two-match ban for his red card, meaning he'll miss upcoming clashes against Manchester United and Nottingham Forest. Without their frontman, Chelsea have been dealt a major blow to their hopes of finishing in the top five.
Now, Villa have the opportunity to capitalise on the west Londoners' setback and clinch Champions League qualification. With two games to go Unai Emery's side have notched 63 points and sit level on points with Chelsea in sixth place, who are one position above the Villans.
Speaking to reporters after Saturday evening's 1-0 win over Bournemouth, the Spaniard backed Villa to climb into the top five. Emery said: "To play in Europe is very fantastic and is very difficult through the Premier League.
"We have points to play (for) and we are going to push other teams, but it (Champions League) is not in our hands. But, of course, if we are winning, we will have more chance.
"We are not going to be disappointed in the case we are not getting Champions League because it’s not fair for me, it’s not fair for the players, not fair for the supporters, not fair for Aston Villa to be disappointed. Playing in Europe is very fantastic."
Villa have a couple of difficult fixtures still to play. They host Tottenham Hotspur on Friday evening before facing Manchester United at Old Trafford on the final day of the season.
"We got Europe and I appreciate a lot to play in Europe and I like to compete in Europe," added Emery. "How we can develop, playing Premier League, playing Europe, playing in other competitions is really fantastic.
"The two years we are here, playing in Europe – the Conference League and Champions League – is a really special moment with our supporters. We were so, so motivated, excited and enjoying the process.
"To play again next year is more work and more demand but the club and the owners and everybody around us, I think they are understanding how we can progress, how we can get our process increasing our demand and getting our objective and fight to be consistent in it.
"This is the challenge I have..."