Burnley’s relegation meant there was only Aston Villa playing for anything here, and that was fairly evident in the opening five minutes when John McGinn found Morgan Rogers in between the hosts’ centre backs, but he could only drag an effort wide of Premier League debutant Max Weiss’ goal.
That miss looked even more costly inside the opening 10 minutes when Emiliano Martinez could only parry Lesley Ugochukwu’s side-footed effort into the path of a grateful Jaidon Anthony, who swept home an opener against the run of play.
Villa were well off the pace in the first half, and Burnley should’ve made them pay midway through the opening 45 minutes.
Loum Tchaouna was at the heart of everything good about the Clarets, and it was his cross that found the unmarked Zian Flemming inside the area, but the Dutchman’s wild swing saw the ball fly well wide of the post.
Unai Emery’s men thought they were back on terms when Ollie Watkins headed home Rogers’ delivery, only for VAR to adjudge part of his boot to have been offside before scoring.
Villa did get themselves level a matter of moments later, though, and this time there was no doubt over it as Ross Barkley headed home McGinn’s inswinging corner.
It was Villa firmly in the ascendancy at the start of the second half, and their pressure eventually told in peculiar circumstances as Martinez atoned for his earlier error by pumping a ball forward to free Watkins in behind, allowing him to beat Weiss to the ball and poke Villa in front.
Their joy was short-lived, though, as some complacent play from Matty Cash saw him turn the ball over in his own half, where he was brutally punished when Hannibal Mejbri’s deft flick was steered into the corner by Flemming.
It was a little surprising Emery left it until after the 70th minute to make an attacking change, but it was one of his mainstays who squandered a great chance when an unmarked McGinn headed wide at the far post with the goal at his mercy.
Both sides had opportunities to snatch a late winner, but neither were able to find a third goal, which will certainly have stung more for Villa, who knew three points would almost certainly have secured their top-five berth.
Flashscore Man of the Match: John McGinn (Aston Villa)