O'Reilly and Kovacic seal late win for Man City as Villa thrash Newcastle in top-four chase

Manchester City boost their Champions League hopes with a 2-0 win at Everton, moving to fourth place as Aston Villa crush Newcastle 4-1 to stay in the race.

Manchester City's Mateo Kovacic (right) applauds the fans after the Premier League match at Goodison Park in Liverpool on April 19, 2025. Photo by Peter Byrne/PA Images

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

Manchester City significantly improved their Champions League hopes on Saturday with a gritty 2-0 victory at Everton, thanks to late goals from Nico O'Reilly and Mateo Kovacic. The win moved City up to fourth in the Premier League, just one point clear of Aston Villa, who maintained their own pursuit of a top-four finish with a commanding 4-1 win over Newcastle.

At a time when Pep Guardiola's side is usually chasing another Premier League title, Manchester City find themselves locked in an intense battle merely to secure Champions League qualification. Their struggles throughout the season have been uncharacteristic for a team that has won six of the past seven Premier League titles. However, the narrow win over Everton suggests that City are determined to finish strongly and avoid the ignominy of missing out on Europe’s top competition.

Late breakthrough at Goodison Park

It was not a vintage City performance at Goodison Park, as the defending champions struggled to break down a resilient Everton side for most of the match. Guardiola’s men dominated possession but found few clear-cut chances against David Moyes’ disciplined and defensive setup. Everton’s game plan nearly paid off, as they looked to strike on the counter or through set-pieces.

James Tarkowski came closest to giving the home side the lead in the first half, his header from a corner crashing off the post. Jarrad Branthwaite also missed a golden chance early in the second half when he nodded straight at Stefan Ortega. But City eventually made their pressure count.

In the 84th minute, Matheus Nunes whipped in a low ball from the right wing. The young Nico O’Reilly, who has impressed in recent weeks while filling in at left-back, made a smart run to the near post and prodded the ball past Jordan Pickford. Just minutes later, substitute Mateo Kovacic sealed the result. After Ilkay Gundogan laid the ball into his path on the edge of the area, Kovacic struck a low drive that nestled into the bottom corner.

Guardiola: “Now it’s in our hands”

The Manchester City manager admitted after the game that the stakes were high and the margin for error minimal. "To win here at Goodison Park, where Liverpool and Arsenal couldn't, is massively important," said Guardiola. “Now it is in our hands. Three games at home, two away, and hopefully we can achieve this big success to qualify for the Champions League.”

Guardiola previously acknowledged that this season could have gone much worse. “Given the challenges we faced, we could have been mid-table,” he said earlier in the week. But the 2-0 win, while far from City’s most convincing display, marked a vital step toward their 15th consecutive season in Europe’s elite competition.

Villa thump Newcastle to stay in the race

While City were digging deep for a late win, Aston Villa turned on the style at Villa Park, smashing Newcastle 4-1 to underline their credentials as serious top-four contenders. Unai Emery’s men responded impressively after their Champions League quarter-final exit to Paris Saint-Germain, securing their fifth straight Premier League victory.

Ian Maatsen of Aston Villa celebrates with teammates after scoring their team's second goal during the Premier League match against Newcastle United at Villa Park in Birmingham on April 19, 2025. Photo by Cameron Smith/Danehouse

Ollie Watkins justified his return to the starting lineup with a deflected goal in the first minute. Although Fabian Schär equalised for Newcastle, Villa took control in the second half with a ruthless attacking display. Ian Maatsen made it 2-1 after a neat assist from Watkins, before a Dan Burn own goal and a powerful finish from Amadou Onana completed the rout.

Newcastle, still without manager Eddie Howe due to pneumonia, were completely outplayed and saw their six-game winning run come to a crashing halt.

Villa’s win moves them within a single point of Manchester City. The two sides are set to clash on Tuesday at the Etihad Stadium, a fixture that could prove decisive in the fight for Champions League places.

Other Premier League results

Elsewhere in the Premier League, already-relegated Southampton avoided further embarrassment by earning a dramatic late equaliser at West Ham. Jarrod Bowen’s 47th-minute goal seemed enough to sink the Saints, but Lesley Ugochukwu fired home in stoppage time to ensure Southampton avoided setting a new record for the lowest points tally in Premier League history. They remain on 11 points—matching Derby County’s infamous 2007–08 campaign—with five games left to try and surpass it.

At the Brentford Community Stadium, Bryan Mbeumo scored twice to lead Brentford to a 4-2 victory over 10-man Brighton. It was Brentford’s first home win since December, and it put a dent in Brighton’s hopes of European football next season.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace held on for a goalless draw against Bournemouth, despite playing the entire second half with 10 men after Chris Richards was sent off before the break.

A crucial week ahead for City

For Manchester City, the win at Everton marks a potentially season-defining moment. While their performances continue to lack the swagger of years past, the ability to grind out results in difficult away fixtures remains a hallmark of Guardiola’s tenure.

With matches still to come against Villa, Tottenham, and Wolves, every point will matter. City can ill afford to slip, with Chelsea and Tottenham also lurking just outside the top five.

As Guardiola noted, City’s destiny is now in their own hands. A return to the Champions League remains the minimum expectation for a club of their stature—and with momentum slowly building, they may yet salvage something meaningful from an otherwise disappointing season.