Aston Villa claimed a 4-2 victory over Liverpool in the Premier League on Friday evening, sealing their Champions League qualification.
The result sends Villa to fourth in the standings, moving three points clear of Liverpool and seven ahead of Bournemouth with one game remaining.
Villa carved out the first opportunity in the seventh minute, with Ollie Watkins cutting inside, before curling over.
Liverpool then began to control the contest and got their first attempt in the 20th minute. Alexis Mac Allister teed up Joe Gomez, who fired over the crossbar.
Mac Allister orchestrated the next attempt, picking out Rio Ngumoha. The teenager cut inside and drove through the centre, but could not hit the target.
Moments later, Cody Gakpo thought he had given the visitors the opener after Emi Martinez spilled Ryan Gravenberch’s strike, only for his effort to be ruled offside.
Dominic Szoboszlai nearly gave Liverpool the lead in the 31st minute with a powerful strike from range, but Martinez parried away.
Villa broke the deadlock against the run of play in the 42nd minute after a well-worked set-piece, setting up Morgan Rogers who curled beyond Mamardashvili.
Liverpool drew level in the 52nd minute, with Van Dijk getting onto the end of Szoboszlai’s cross and heading into the net.
Ngumoha almost put Liverpool ahead when he glided across to aim for the far post, but saw his effort hit the woodwork.
Watkins restored the Villans’ lead in the 57th minute after Szoboszlai slipped, allowing Rogers to square the ball to the Englishman to apply the finish.
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Liverpool had Mamardashvili to thank, as the Georgian made two brilliant saves to deny Watkins from close range.
Emi Buendia came close to adding to Villa’s advantage after dropping his shoulder, but saw his curling strike hit the woodwork.
Watkins gave the hosts a two-goal cushion in the 73rd minute, before John McGinn compounded the Reds’ woes with a brilliant strike to make it 4-1.
Van Dijk scored a consolation goal for the visitors in stoppage time, heading Szoboszlai’s cross home.