Avoiding defeat will be enough for in-form Aston Villa to progress in the Europa Conference League on Thursday evening, when Legia Warsaw arrive at Villa Park aiming to seal their own place in the knockout phase.
Both sides will at least go through to the playoffs with either a win or a draw from their penultimate Group E fixture, but victory could send either straight into the last 16.
After defeat in Warsaw saw the Premier League club's Group E campaign start on the wrong foot, a last-gasp home win over Zrinjski was then followed by back-to-back victories over AZ: a convincing 4-1 success in Alkmaar, then a far closer encounter back at Villa Park.
Once Vangelis Pavlidis had put their visitors ahead early in the second half, the Villans were sufficiently stirred to fight back, and goals from Diego Carlos and ever-reliable England striker Ollie Watkins secured maximum points. As a result, Unai Emery's men will be confirmed in the top two if they avoid defeat this week - or even should they lose and Zrinsjki do not beat AZ.
Wrapping things up neatly before their final game in Bosnia - and saving themselves the jeopardy of a playoff to reach the last 16 - victory by two goals or more would secure top spot, continuing Villa's upward trajectory under UEFA competition specialist Emery.
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