Aston Villa continued their charge for a Champions League spot with a dominant 3-0 win over Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium, powered by a brilliant late display and inspired substitutions from manager Unai Emery. Despite two missed penalties, Villa secured their fourth straight Premier League victory and climbed into the top five.

For 70 minutes, it looked like frustration would define Villa’s afternoon as they struggled to break down a resilient Southampton side, who had already been relegated but showed determination in front of their home fans. But the game shifted dramatically with the introduction of Ollie Watkins.

Just moments after coming off the bench, Watkins made his mark in the 73rd minute. Latching onto a lofted pass from Youri Tielemans, the England forward fired a well-timed volley past Aaron Ramsdale to break the deadlock.

Watkins had earlier won a penalty after being brought down by Jan Bednarek, but Marco Asensio failed to convert, with Ramsdale diving low to deny him. It was a missed opportunity that could have shifted momentum but Villa refused to let it derail their mission.

Six minutes after Watkins’ opener, Morgan Rogers combined neatly with Donyell Malen, who rifled a low shot into the bottom corner to double Villa’s lead in the 79th minute. It was a killer blow for a Southampton side that looked increasingly fragile as the match wore on.

The drama wasn’t over. Deep into stoppage time, Villa were awarded a second penalty. Once again, Asensio stepped up and once again Ramsdale made the save but this time John McGinn was quickest to react, pouncing on the rebound to seal the result.

The win pushes Aston Villa into fifth place in the Premier League table, strengthening their hopes of qualifying for next season’s UEFA Champions League. They now turn their attention to a crucial midweek clash against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-final second leg, where they’ll hope to carry this momentum forward.

As for Southampton, their miserable campaign continues. This marks their 13th home defeat of the season, and with only six matches remaining, they are staring at the possibility of finishing with one of the lowest points totals in Premier League history.

Villa’s late firepower, orchestrated by the clinical finishing of Watkins and the energy of Emery’s bench, proved too much and sent another strong message that this is a side hungry for European nights of their own next season.