Thursday’s briefing: Manchester City do just enough to reach play-offs | OneFootball

Manchester City scraped into the Champions League play-offs and Liverpool finished at the summit despite losing to PSV Eindhoven.

Aston Villa sank Celtic to finish in the top eight and go straight through to the last 16, but Villa’s Ollie Watkins was the target of a bid by Arsenal.

The Gunners were also winners, 2-1 in Girona, to finish third in the new-look group phase.

City kept their Champions League campaign alive as they overturned a half-time deficit against Club Brugge to snatch a place in the play-off round.

The 2023 winners had been in danger of missing out on the knockout stages for the first time since 2012-13 after falling behind to a Raphael Onyedika strike in their must-win clash at the Etihad Stadium.

They hit back after the break through Mateo Kovavic before an own goal from Joel Ordonez and a further strike from substitute Savinho carried them to a 3-1 win.

Villa win battle of Britain

Morgan Rogers hit a hat-trick and Watkins showed exactly why Arsenal want to sign him as Aston Villa went through to the last 16 of the Champions League after a 4-2 win over Celtic.

Villa needed to win and hope other results went their way to avoid a play-off round and they looked like they would hold up their end of the deal with ease as Rogers scored twice in the opening five minutes.

But Celtic, who were guaranteed a spot in the play-off round before kick-off, hit back before the break with two Adam Idah goals in two minutes.

Watkins put his side ahead, though, as he broke his Champions League duck on the hour before Rogers’ third at the death sent Villa through.

Reds lose unblemished record

Cody Gakpo scored on his return to PSV but it was not enough to inspire an under-strength Liverpool side as they lost their 100 per cent Champions League record after a 3-2 defeat.

Head coach Arne Slot left nine of Saturday’s starting line-up at home with one eye on the Premier League leaders’ weekend trip to Bournemouth but afforded Gakpo the opportunity to face his former club.

When he tucked home a 28th-minute penalty it appeared he had returned to haunt his boyhood club, where he spent five seasons before a move to Anfield two years ago.

But PSV exposed their opponents’ obvious weaknesses and, although Harvey Elliott scored for the second successive Champions League game, goals from Johan Bakayoko, Ismael Saibari and Ricardo Pepi inflicted Liverpool’s third defeat of the season.

Meanwhile, goals from Jorginho and Ethan Nwaneri gave Arsenal a 2-1 win at Girona.

You Wat?

Aston Villa rejected a bid from Arsenal for Watkins.

The Gunners’ offer for the England international is reported to be £60million.

But Villa boss Unai Emery is determined to keep Watkins at the club this month.

He said: “I don’t want (him to leave). It is good news to have offers from other clubs. We want to keep our sporting objective through the players we have in the squad.

“Every player can be in the market if it is good for the player and the club. To get this deal we are going to be demanding. Watkins is our striker.”

Fellow frontman Jhon Duran is heading for the exit, looking set to join Cristiano Ronaldo at Saudi club Al Nassr.

What’s on today?

All eyes will be on the Manchester United squad to see if 63-year-old goalkeeping coach Jorge Vital has made the bench when they face FCSB in the Europa League.

A draw away at the Romanian champions will see Ruben Amorim’s side go straight through to the last 16 while Tottenham, who host Swedish outfit Elfsborg, are also well placed to qualify.

Rangers, guaranteed at least a play-off spot, host Union Saint-Gilloise of Belgium.