Aston Villa suffered a European hangover as they could only draw 2-2 with relegated Burnley at Turf Moor.
Three days after booking their spot in the Europa League final with a thumping victory over Nottingham Forest, Villa were frustrated by a spirited display from the home side, who had lost five straight matches.
Swathes of empty seats reflected what a miserable season it has been for Burnley at home, but Jaidon Anthony gave them an early lead and Zian Flemming clinched a point in the second half after Ross Barkley and Ollie Watkins had scored for the visitors.
A point means Villa are not yet assured of Champions League qualification through the league, although they are four points ahead of Bournemouth with only two games to play.
Unai Emery only made three changes to his Villa team from Thursday, with Barkley, Tyrone Mings and Ian Maatsen coming in, while Burnley interim head coach Michael Jackson opted for six alterations from the side beaten by Leeds United nine days ago, including a return from three months out injured for Axel Tuanzebe.
Morgan Rogers pulled an early shot well wide but most of the early pressure belonged to the hosts, with Loum Tchaouna – one of those brought into the side – a real threat down the right.
It was from his run that Burnley opened the scoring in the eighth minute, with Tchaouna playing the ball across to Lesley Ugochukwu, whose shot was parried by Emiliano Martínez into the path of Anthony.
Rogers had a shot deflected over and Maatsen scuffed one wide as Villa looked to respond, but they were fortunate not to be two down in the 28th minute.
Tchaouna again got away down the right and crossed for Flemming, who was afforded space after a slip by Ezri Konsa but fired wide.
Villa began to take control as the half wore on and Barkley might have done better than screw his shot wide after John McGinn had picked up the ball at the back post, while Youri Tielemans had a shot tipped over by 21-year-old German Max Weiss, making his Premier League debut for Burnley.
The youngster was beaten in the 38th minute after the ball rebounded kindly to Rogers and Watkins headed in his cross, but the goal was ruled out for a marginal offside following a VAR check.
It took the visitors only four minutes to find an equaliser that did count, though, with Weiss pushing Barkley’s long-range shot out for a corner but then beaten by a header from the midfielder.
Flemming had another chance early in the second half but could only get studs to Hannibal Mejbri’s cross, and Villa took the lead with the simplest of goals in the 56th minute.
A long kick downfield by Martínez beat the entire Burnley defence and Watkins managed to poke the ball past Weiss.
But Villa were ahead for just three minutes, with Anthony robbing Matty Cash before Ugochukwu showed good skill to jink his way into the penalty area and find Hannibal, whose backheel pass was thumped in by Flemming.
A brilliant last-ditch intervention by Maxime Estève denied Barkley a second as chances continued to flow, while Burnley substitute Zeki Amdouni was denied by a smart stop from Martínez.
Villa replacement Emiliano Buendía had penalty appeals waved away late on as the visitors had to settle for a point.
Emery, however, launched a fierce defence of his side, saying of the performance: “I’m very, very happy, and with the result as well, very happy.
“It’s been difficult to be fifth in the league until day 36, very difficult. And it’s been very difficult to be in the top five for Liverpool, they are with us, with the same points.
“For Bournemouth behind us and Brighton, they are fighting teams and they are being fantastic. It’s fantastic to be where we are.
“Today the point is not enough, I know it’s not enough, but I know the difficulty to achieve three points here. But how we compete, how the players show with their wishes to win, I am so, so proud of them.
“And, of course, after on Thursday we achieved the final in the Europa League, how we are doing in both competitions. To play in Europe and to play in the Premier League in the top positions is very difficult.
“We are doing it and the players are doing a huge effort. Of course, the second part of the season we are struggling, we are not achieving the points like the first part of the season.”
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