Morgan Rogers scored three goals and Ollie Watkins proved his worth to Aston Villa as they advanced to the round of 16 in the Champions League following a 4-2 victory over Celtic.
Rogers was the standout performer, netting a hat-trick in front of England manager Thomas Tuchel to secure a win that concluded a successful debut Champions League campaign for Unai Emery’s team, who finished eighth out of 36 participants.
Watkins, who has been the subject of a rejected £60 million bid from Arsenal, showcased his talent in the match played at Villa Park.
The 29-year-old overcame the off-field distractions to score a goal in a dramatic game, which also saw him fail to convert a penalty.
Significantly, he expressed his commitment to Villa by kissing the club crest when celebrating his goal, indicating his likely stay beyond the transfer window deadline on Monday.
Villa required a victory and favorable outcomes in other matches to avoid entering a play-off round, and they seemed on course for an easy win as Rogers scored twice within the first five minutes.
However, Celtic, who had already secured a play-off spot, responded before halftime with two goals from Adam Idah in quick succession.
Watkins then put Villa in front by breaking his Champions League scoring drought in the 60th minute, before Rogers completed his hat-trick late on to confirm Villa's progression.
The defeat was a disappointment for Brendan Rodgers' team, who will now face either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the play-off round.