Aston Villa have Champions League 'in our hands' after dramatic late draw with Liverpool

Aston Villa captain John McGinn said all the players will become Manchester City fans for one day after Monday night's dramatic 3-3 draw with Liverpool left the club on the brink of qualifying for the Champions League.

Villa looked set for a fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions as an Emiliano Martinez own goal and strikes from Cody Gakpo and Jarrell Quansah put Liverpool on course for victory in Jurgen Klopp's final away game in charge.

But substitute Jhon Duran scored a late double to push Unai Emery's men closer to Europe's top table for the first time since 1983. Victory for title-chasing City at Tottenham on Tuesday will secure Villa's place in the top four.

It's been an excellent season for Villa but they have started to stumble as the strain of combining a challenge for the Champions League alongside a run to the Europa Conference League semi-finals has taken its toll.

"Just a brilliant effort towards the end," said Villa captain McGinn. "It's been a tough couple of weeks. The manager won't admit it but the boys are out on their feet, giving absolutely everything.

"We'll have our Man City tops on tomorrow night."

Martinez's return to fitness after he missed last weekend's 1-0 defeat at Brighton should have been a major boost for the home side. But the Argentine World Cup winner's howler handed Liverpool the opening goal after just two minutes as he fumbled Harvey Elliott's deflected cross into his own net.

Villa did respond positively as Ollie Watkins burned Quansah for pace and pulled back a cross for Youri Tielemans to equalise.

However, momentum swung back in Liverpool's favour in an end-to-end encounter when Gakpo tapped in after Martinez could only parry Joe Gomez's effort.

Villa were 3-1 down just