Man City boost Champions League hopes with late winner

MANCHESTER, England (AP):

Matheus Nunes scored in stoppage time as Manchester City took a big step towards Champions League qualification with a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa in the Premier League yesterday.

The late winner at the Etihad Stadium moved four-time defending league champions City up to third in the standings, with the top five securing a place in European club football's top competition next season.

Nunes fired home from a tight angle in the fourth minute of added time after Jeremy Doku's low cross.

The game had looked destined to end in a draw after Bernardo Silva's first-half goal had been cancelled out by a Marcus Rashford penalty.

There is still likely to be a tense battle for the Champions League with a clutch of teams in contention going into the final weeks of the season and just four points separating third to seventh in the standings.

But City's fate is in their own hands after a troubled campaign that saw their title defence unravel before Christmas and their hopes of winning the Champions League end in the playoffs.

A top-five finish would go some way to salvaging the season, and manager Pep Guardiola celebrated wildly on the sideline after Nunes' shot hit the back of the net.

Victory moved City up to 61 points and above Nottingham Forest in fourth and Newcastle in fifth.

Chelsea are sixth and Villa, with 57 points, are seventh.

England's top flight will be given a bonus fifth Champions League place because of the performances of English teams in Europe this season.

Both City and Villa have played a game more than their top-five rivals. But City know a perfect record from their remaining four league games would guarantee a place in next season's Champions League.

Silva provided the opener for City in the seventh minute from close range after Omar Marmoush's cutback.

Rashford had already hit the post for Villa by that point after bursting into the box seconds after kickoff.

And the on-loan Manchester United forward was on the score sheet in the 18th - equalising from the penalty spot following a VAR review of Ruben Dias' foul on Jacob Ramsey in the box.

"Of course, today we lost, but there are still matches to play, still points to play (for). We will have chances to get the Champions League," Villa manager Unai Emery said. "I am happy how we are reacting, how every player is facing the moment we are (in)."

Both City and Villa are also in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Villa play Crystal Palace on Saturday, and City play Nottingham Forest on Sunday.