Aston Villa 4-2 Celtic: Morgan Rogers hat-trick seals top eight in Champions League thriller
Aston Villa 4-2 Celtic: Morgan Rogers hat-trick seals top eight in Champions League thriller
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Morgan Rogers hit a hat-trick and Ollie 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. Rogers was the hero, scoring a treble in front of the watching England manager Thomas Tuchel to earn victory which sealed an impressive debut Champions League league phase for Unai Emery's men, who finished eighth out of 36 teams.
Watkins has been the subject of a rejected bid, reported to be £60million, from the Gunners this week, with news breaking just hours before the final European league game at Villa Park. The 29-year-old put the distraction aside as he scored in an eventful game, which also saw him miss a penalty.
Tellingly, he celebrated his goal by tapping the badge and looks certain to remain a Villa player after the transfer window closes on Monday. 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 finally broke his Champions League duck on the hour before Rogers' third at the death sent Villa through.
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