Substitute Jamaldine Jimo-Aloba scored a late winner to help Aston Villa beat Red Bull Salzburg 3-2 from two goals down and move into the top two of the Europa League, but an injury to Ollie Watkins marred the victory.

Villa had already secured their place in the last 16 with a hard-fought seventh win in eight group games but Watkins was forced off with a hamstring injury. Villa boss Unai Emery said the club would learn more about the injury on Friday.

“He felt something, but not a lot,” Emery said. “We’ll test him tomorrow and hopefully it’s probably not a lot of (time) that we think about. But I don’t know if he’ll be able to play on Sunday.”

Salzburg had no choice but to seek three points and were rewarded with a fine first-half performance when Karim Konate capitalized on Tyrone Mings’ mistake.

The Austrian league leaders inflicted further damage shortly after half-time when Moussa Young fired in from close range.

Morgan Rogers came on as a substitute to halve the deficit and Mings made amends with his header to equalize for the home side before Jimo Aloba completed the comeback with his first senior goal in the 87th minute.

How Villa came from behind and turned things around

On-loan Harvey Elliott’s future remains up in the air, with Emery admitting his situation at the club has not changed, but he was included in the starting XI for his first appearance since October.

Watkins showed his confidence when aiming from distance in the first minute and Elliott was vindicated almost immediately but saw his shot on the rebound fortuitously blocked by the legs of goalkeeper Alexander Schrager.

Salzburg knew they needed to win to have any chance of staying in the game and the Austrian side took the lead in the 33rd minute. Mings was caught in two minds when he received the ball, which was intercepted by Edmund Baidoo and who, despite Victor Lindelof’s best efforts, allowed Konate to tuck the ball in.

Emery has had to deal with some injury issues of late, and things got worse when Watkins was replaced by Rodgers in the 35th minute with a strained hamstring.

It only took four minutes of the second half for the visitors to extend their lead.

Kerim Alajbegovic showed great footwork to get the ball into the six-yard area and passed it to Young, who deftly flicked the ball into the net.

The home side found an opportunity to get back into the game midway through the half. Villa found the back of the net as Rodgers played a lovely one-two with Emi Buendia before expertly firing in at the near post.

In the 76th minute, the two sides were tied. Matty Cash sent in a teasing pass and Mings headed the ball into the empty net before Schrager’s punch.

Villa Park erupted and the hosts completed their comeback three minutes from time when Jimo Aloba was on hand to finish in Kadan Young’s cross.

Key stats from Villa Park

• Aston Villa won a major European competition from more than 2 goals behind for the third time, also in September 1998 (3-2 UEFA Cup victory over Strömgosset) and April 2025 (3-2 Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain).
• Red Bull Salzburg drew 2-2 with Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League, leading by two goals for the first time since October 2011 and failing to win in a major European competition.
• Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba is the fourth youngest player (19 years and 119 days) to score in a major European competition for Aston Villa, behind Nathan Delfoneso (17 years and 319 days), Darius Vassell (18 years and 94 days) and Mark Walters (18 years and 154 days).
• Red Bull Salzburg’s Moussa Yeo is the second youngest player (21 years and 242 days) to score in a major European match against Aston Villa at Villa Park, behind only Christer George (19 years and 35 days) who played for Strömgosse in the UEFA Cup in September 1998. The third youngest is Karim Konaté, who scored his first goal tonight (21 years and 314 days).
• Tyrone Mings became Aston Villa’s oldest major European goalscorer (32 years and 322 days), breaking the record held by Ray Houghton (32 years and 266 days) against Inter Milan in September 1994.

What happens next for Aston Villa?