A match that started with Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez conceding a shocking own-goal after 62 seconds turned into a great escape, and near-win, as Duran came on to save the night with strikes in the 85th and 88th minutes.

The Villa stopper received a hostile reception throughout from Lille fans who had not forgotten his provocative celebrations after Argentina beat France on penalties in the 2022 World Cup final.

Martinez was warned for his persistent mind games in the Stade Pierre Mauroy.

Arsenal's Premier League title hopes suffered a massive blow as Aston Villa struck twice in the closing stages to boost their top four bid with a dramatic 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Phil Foden scored a stunning hat-track as Manchester City crushed Aston Villa 4-1 on Wednesday to keep their hopes of retaining the Premier League title very much alive.

Scott McTominay kept alive Manchester United's hopes of finishing in the Premier League's top four as the midfielder's late goal clinched a vital 2-1 win against Aston Villa on Sunday.

Emery's side are flying high in the league in fourth spot.

Champions Manchester City are ominously poised to strike in the new year despite a dip in form from last season's treble winners, while Arsenal, Aston Villa and Tottenham are also in the mix.

"Everyone is so happy, we need to enjoy the moment," said Luiz.

Aston Villa missed the chance to go top of the Premier League, with manager Unai Emery proclaiming VAR was "too much" after Nicolo Zaniolo's late goal salvaged a 1-1 draw at home to struggling Sheffield United on Friday.

Unai Emery revealed he didn't shake hands with any members of the Arsenal coaching team after Aston Villa 's huge 1-0 win because Mikel Arteta was absent.

Unai Emery's men have now won 15 consecutive Premier Leagues at Villa Park and back-to-back victories over Manchester City and the Gunners have sparked hopes of an unexpected challenge for their first title since 1981.

Unai Emery refused to label Aston Villa as Premier League title contenders after his side climbed to third place with a 1-0 win against champions Manchester City.

Elsewhere, Scott McTominay scored twice as Manchester United beat Chelsea 2-1 and Fulham hammered Nottingham Forest 5-0, heaping the pressure on manager Steve Cooper

Bundesliga club Mainz sacked footballer Anwar El Ghazi on Friday, hours after German prosecutors opened an investigation over his social media posts on the Israel-Hamas war.

Mauricio Pochettino admitted struggling Chelsea need to "grow up" after their troubled season hit a new low with a 1-0 defeat against Aston Villa on Sunday.

The 30-year-old goalkeeper spent 11 hours in the Bangladesh capital, with his itinerary featuring a visit to a digital business company office and a visit to the Prime Minister’s Office before his departure for the capital of West Bengal.

Aston Villa moved up to fifth in the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Fulham on Tuesday, as Leeds and Leicester played out a 1-1 draw in the battle to beat the drop.

Watkins added Villa's second with a sharp strike on the turn from point-blank range in the 64th minute and grabbed his 11th goal in his last 12 matches six minutes from time with a simple finish at the back post

Jack Grealish says it has taken longer than he thought it would for him to adapt to a different role at Manchester City than he had at Aston Villa.