Rogers hat-trick fires Villa into top eight
Morgan Rogers scored a hat-trick to help Aston Villa beat Celtic 4-2 in the final round of Champions League fixtures within the 36-team league and help secure a top-eight spot.
Rogers got off to a brilliant start at Villa Park, netting the first two of his goals inside the opening five minutes to get the hosts up and running.
The first goal saw him turn in from close range, while the second was a lovely dipping shot that went beyond Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.
But Scottish side Celtic also had something to play for, with an outside shout of a top-eight spot themselves, and hauled themselves back into the game remarkably. Adam Idah stunned the home crowd with his own two-minute salvo to get the visitor level.
Idah's goals game in the 36th and 38th minutes to make it 2-2 and this breathless encounter roared back into life in the second half, with Ollie Watkins restoring Aston Villa's lead on the hour.
Watkins had a chance to make it 4-2 just four minutes later, but stuck a penalty over the bar to make it a nervy end to the match.
Rogers, though, managed to get his hat-trick in stoppage time, meaning that Aston Villa finishes eighth in the league stage and bypasses the play-off round.
