How overperforming Villa returned to Champions League

How overperforming Villa returned to Champions LeagueTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be playedFigure caption, Aston Villa secure Champions League spot in win over LiverpoolByNick MashiterFootball reporterPublished4 minutes ago1 CommentsAston Villa have confirmed their return to the Champions League.Friday's 4-2 Premier League thrashing of last season's champions Liverpool secured Unai Emery's side a place back among Europe's elite.Villa missed out on the top five on goal difference on the final day of last season, when a mistake by referee Thomas Bramall denied Morgan Rogers an opener at Manchester United and Villa lost 2-0 and had Emiliano Martinez sent off.It was a wound which needed healing - and they managed to do just that by leapfrogging Liverpool into fourth and moving out of sixth-placed Bournemouth's reach.The focus is now on Wednesday's Europa League final against Freiburg in Istanbul, but, while Villa have been in the Champions League spots since November, they remain the Premier League's overperformers.According to Opta's expected table, Emery's side should sit 12th.Eight places - and 15 points - better off than their expected position, they are the highest overperforming team in the Premier League. Sunderland and Everton are the only other sides overperforming by more than two places.Villa's 54 goals rank seventh in the league, below 10th-place Chelsea (55), while their 471 shots is just ninth highest - also lower than any of the top six and Chelsea.Their number of shots on target ranks eighth, behind the rest of the top six, Brighton and Newcastle United - but their shot conversion rate of 11% is bettered by only Brentford (14%), Manchester City (13%) and Arsenal (13%).Only Tottenham (+8.33) have overperformed their expected goals (xG) more than Villa, while five clubs have defied their xG more at the back.Villa's xG is 46.42, meaning they have sc...