Aston Villa v Celtic LIVE - UEFA Champions League result as Morgan Rogers hat-trick helps Villa reach round of 16

Aston Villa overcame a missed penalty, a 145-second Celtic fightback and breaking transfer news over their star strikers hours before kick-off to emerge 4-2 victors at Villa Park and advance automatically to the UEFA Champions League round of 16, while The Bhoys will face either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the play-offs.

Morgan Rogers' quickfire brace inside five minutes set Villa Park rocking and Celtic – who had only the faintest chance to sneak into the top eight – looked shell-shocked for much of the first half before Adam Idah turned the game on its head with a brace inside three minutes, the second turned acrobatically past Emi Martinez.

Ollie Watkins restored Aston Villa's lead on the hour mark thanks largely to Jacob Ramsey's selflessness, and he had the chance to end the contest minutes later when he won a penalty from Auston Trusty, but slipped and skied his kick.

However, he created the goal that killed off the game in injury time, pickpocketing the Celtic defence and creating a simple finish for Rogers to complete his first senior hat-trick.

With both Atalanta and AC Milan dropping points after starting the day in the top eight, it should have been comfortable for The Villains after Rogers' third, but Lille's 6-1 demolition of Feyenoord saw them unexpectedly leap into the automatic qualifying places, meaning Villa Park had a nervy wait after full-time before the celebrations could begin.

Yet they can now bask in some extra holiday, while Celtic have the toughest of draws but stay alive in the competition.

Enjoy that? Well you can do it all again tomorrow with the final round of the UEFA Europa League featuring 18 matches and three British teams all live at 20:00 UK time on TNT Sports and discovery+!

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You can't have an instant classic like that without two teams doing the tango, and Celtic danced brilliantly tonight - as their ex-manager Martin O'Neill noted on TNT Sports:

"Celtic played their part as well, really big part. They're 2-0 down after four minutes in the game, they could've succumbed completely to the atmosphere, to the way Villa were playing but they fought their way back heroically.

"I thought Aston Villa were just creaking a bit at that stage as you saw Emery just before half-time telling people to calm it down.

Former Bhoy Petrov added: "The Celtic fans will be delighted with that draw. They will not even bother about the result there will just be waves of Celtic fans going to those games. Big teams, big stadiums and they will love it."

Our standings page is now fully updated as we say goodbye to 12 teams from the UEFA Champions League and 24 learn their fate, so who could play who? Follow the link to find out, after a truly barnstorming night of action.

You don't have to go anywhere yet though, we've got more reaction coming up!

Former Aston Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov was full of praise for Unai Emery's side on TNT Sports after they converted their first UEFA Champions League appearance in 40 years into an immediate return to the knockout phase, finishing eighth in the league table:

"Fully deserved, fully deserved. Villa have been outstanding through the competition so far and having that extra week off will help some of the injured players to come back, more signings which can help the team as well.

"Tonight this is what it's all about. We asked before the game if it's too fast? No, it's fully deserved."

Former boss Martin O'Neill added: "This club is built for Champions League football, no doubt."

AC Milan could've changed things late for Celtic, but couldn't find an equaliser against Dinamo Zagreb meaning Brendan Rodger's side are rewarded with their best UEFA Champions League performance in over a decade... with a tie against Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.

They're find out which of those they face in Friday's knockout phase playoff draw - at 11:00 Friday UK time live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

Barcelona send a free-kick over the bar in the 97th minute meaning Atalanta have dropped out of the top eight at the expense of Aston Villa FC!

What a match. Rogers gathers up the matchball and Villa have done almost all they can. Celtic great value and helped create a UEFA Champions League classic with Adam Idah's 145-second brace, but ultimately didn't have enough to down their opponents.

That does nothing for Celtic, apart from making the last two minutes of injury time redundant. Now can Atalanta find a winner against Barca and steal the last top eight spot?

Rogers has won it for Villa with his hat-trick goal in front of the Holte End! It's a mistake from Dane Murray, he receives a throw-in but takes too much time to control it, allowing Watkins to steal in, round Schmeichel and leave it for Rogers to hammer into the empty net!

This is it for Villa. Celtic can avoid Bayern or Real with an equaliser here so have every incentive to chase that goal. Martinez hits a pass straight to the Celtic midfield 40 yards out which isn't ideal.

Manchester City are through, Villa have become more conservative in the last few minutes as Martinez sends all the players up the pitch for a free-kick. Hatches may be battened....

Villa's top-eight hopes are now handing by a thread - Lille have hit a sixth against Feyenoord meaning they've gone ahead of the Midlanders on goal difference and if Atalanta can find a winner from 2-2 against Barcelona, they will take the final spot.

What a moment to make your senior debut! Daniel Cummings is on for Idah, the latest score updates mean Celtic are currently set to face Bayern Munich or Real Madrid in the play-offs.

Let's be honest, this probably isn't the video you're looking forward to right now. But this is the goal that means Villa are back in the top eight, with AC Milan and Atalanta both losing to create space.

It's the side-netting though. It's (guess who) Watkins again, Celtic are throwing everything at the hosts and leaving more and more space at the back.

Luis Plama and Paulo Bernardo enter the fray for Celtic at the expense of Yang and Engels, and they're involved immediately as Martinez is forced into a smart save at his near post.

Emery responds immediately, introducing Ian Maatsen for Digne.

It's almost a Hatate stunner! He cuts in from the right and opens fire from outside the area, the shot flashing past Martinez's post by a matter of inches.

And again Schmeichel denies him with a fantastic save! You can't take your eyes off this one - Villa get the first contact from the set piece but it's into a sea of bodies, that Konsa somehow fights off to find Watkins.

He pulls the trigger lower, but Schmeichel meets it with a sturdy boot and Celtic remain just one behind.

The Villa fans have responded with a Watkins chant, looking to pull up their beleaguered striker who, don't forget, was linked with a move to Arsenal earlier today.

It was such a horrible moment but the forward repays the fans by outbattling Trusty to win a corner.