Hopes for making the Champions League are still alive for Manchester United as they took care of business 3-0 against Aston Villa on Thursday. The win extends United’s streak of consecutive matches without a loss to 17, which includes five wins in a row. 

The top four teams in the English Premier League standings qualify for the Champions League, the top soccer tournament in all of Europe. The victory keeps Man. United in fifth place, one point behind Leicester City who are in fourth, and two behind Chelsea who is in third.

A penalty kick by Bruno Fernandes in the 27th minute, although a questionable call, got the party started for United. Goals by Mason Greenwood in stoppage time prior to halftime and Paul Pogba in the 58th minute added to the rout of Aston Villa. 

It was Pogba’s goal that had Man. United’s manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær singing his praises. “[Paul] is a fantastic person, fantastic player; one of the best midfielders in the world. It’s a different team to the one he left when he was injured. Everything is miles better in that dressing room.”

Manchester United has four matches remaining on their EPL schedule. They will take on Southampton next on July 13, but many soccer fans have their eyes on United’s final match of the season on July 26, where they will play at home against Leicester.

Aston Villa is trying to stave off relegation and his four points behind West Ham United and Wofford to do so. Their next match will take place on July 12, on the road against Crystal Palace. 

Ugo Ehiogu, Tottenham’s under-23 team coach and former defender for Aston Villa and England’s national team, died after suffering a heart attack Friday. He was 44.

Tributes: Tottenham Coach, Ex-Aston Villa Star Ugo Ehiogu Dies Of Heart Attack

Tottenham Hotspur confirmed the news in a statement after several of the club’s devastated staff, including manager Mauricio Pochettino, were notified of Ehiogu’s death on the Premier League team’s training ground. The U-23 coach, who had been with Hotspur since 2014, collapsed on the field at Tottenham late Thursday and died Friday morning.

Ehiogu spent most of his playing career in the Premier League, including stints with both Aston Villa (1991-2000) and Middlesbrough (2000-2007). He earned four caps for England’s national team, and won three League Cups in his career, two with Aston Villa and one with Middlesbrough. Ehiogu, who also played for West Brom, Rangers and Sheffield United, retired from playing soccer in 2009. He is survived by his wife Gemma and a son.

Dozens of people from around the soccer world, particularly in the English league, paid tribute to the late former player and coach and expressed their condolences to his family and friends.

“It is with immense sadness that we announce the passing of Ugo Ehiogu, our Under-23 coach,” Tottenham said in a statement. “Ugo received immediate treatment after suffering a cardiac arrest at the Training Centre yesterday before being transferred to hospital, where he passed away in the early hours of the morning.”

Spurs head of coaching and player development John McDermott added: “Words cannot express the shock and sadness that we all feel at the club. Ugo’s immense presence will be irreplaceable. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to his wife Gemma and his family.”

Former England forward and current broadcaster Stan Collymore tweeted a photo of him and Ehiogu:

“Only spoke to Ugo a month ago,” Collymore said in a separate tweet. “Be in a happy place big man, will never forget you pal. Rest in peace big un.”

Among the other people to pay homage to Ehiogu was Ian Taylor, a former Aston Villa midfielder and a current ambassador for the team.

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte also commented on Ehiogu’s death.

“I think when this type of situation happens the football is not important,” Conte said. “It’s not easy to speak about it, because this situation hits every one of us, and for sure tomorrow there will be a strange atmosphere.”

He continued: “It’s a pity because he was very young, only 44, and a former player, and when these types of situation happen you start to think a lot of things in your mind. And for sure, not good things. We are very sad about this, we can remember him tomorrow and I think this is the minimum for us, for Tottenham and for the fans.”

Tottenham confirmed there will be a minute’s applause before their FA Cup semifinal against Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday, and that both teams will wear black armbands to honor Ehiogu.

Sky Sports broadcaster Paul Merson broke down in tears while delivering an emotional tribute to Ehiogu, his former Aston Villa teammate.

“I’m still devastated, he was such a top bloke, it’s unbelievable, he was a man mountain,” Merson told Sky Sports. “You know what… Billy Joel sings that song, ‘Only The Good Die Young.’ And that is him. He was a top player and a good friend as well.

“I talked to him recently, he was always winding me up, saying Tottenham have some good players coming through! [My thoughts] go out to his family, sorry.”

Ehiogu’s only goal for England came in a 3-0 victory over Spain at Villa Park in 2001.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 05: Ugo Ehiogu, coach of Tottenham Hotspur looks on during the Premier League 2 match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on February 5, 2017 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

Dalian Atkinson, who was perhaps best known for playing as a striker for the English Premier League’s Aston Villa during the 1990s, died Sunday night following an incident in which police hit him with a stun gun in his native Telford, England, roughly 30 miles west of Birmingham. He was 48.

Former Aston Villa Forward Dalian Atkinson Dead After Tasing Incident

Atkinson also played for Sheffield Wednesday prior to his time with Aston Villa.

According to Sky News, Atkinson died of cardiac arrest as he was being transported to a local hospital.

“I had known him since he was a little boy, he was a famous footballer at one time,” an unnamed witness told Sky News. “He was friendly, he had no trouble that I know of.”

Atkinson’s father, Ernest, told the Mirror that his son was “very agitated” and “upset” at his home Sunday night before someone — not Ernest himself — called the police.

“I don’t know if he was drunk or on drugs but he was very agitated and his mind was upset,” Ernest Atkinson said, adding that police used the Taser on his son in the street in front of his house.

Without naming the former soccer player, West Mercia police issued the following statement regarding the incident:

“West Mercia Police can confirm that officers responded to a report for the concern for the safety of an individual at approximately 1:30am this morning (Monday 15 August) at an address in Telford.

Upon arrival Taser was deployed and a 48-year-old man, who subsequently received medical attention, was pronounced dead at approximately 3am.

West Mercia Police are unable to comment any further as the incident has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) as is normal procedure and will assist the IPCC with their enquiries.”

Atkinson scored a goal for Aston Villa against Wimbledon in October 1992 that was named that season’s goal of the year by the BBC. That year, he helped lead Aston Villa to a second-place finish in the Premier League.

Atkinson also led Villa to the 1994 League Cup title, scoring twice in the semifinals against Tranmere Rovers and once in the final against Manchester United at Wembley Stadium.

After suffering a string of injuries, Atkinson was sold to Turkish club Fenerbahce in 1995. After two years there, he was loaned to Metz in France and Manchester City back in England. He finished his career playing in Saudi Arabia and South Korea.

His former teammates, and current Aston Villa players took to Twitter to pay homage to the fallen star.

Using the hashtag #UmbrellasForDalian, Aston Villa fans on Twitter called for supporters to pay tribute to Atkinson by bringing their umbrellas to the team’s next game on Tuesday night. The gesture would be a reference to one of Atkinson’s best-known goal celebrations, in which he and a teammate stood under an umbrella.

Club owner and chairman Tony Xia ruled out the gesture on health and safety grounds, but said another tribute was in the works.

1993: Portrait of Dalian Atkinson of Aston Villa. \ Mandatory Credit: Anton Want/Allsport