Lucas Digne's 89th-minute header clinched a dramatic 3-2 victory for Aston Villa over Luton Town at Kenilworth Road to keep their Champions League hopes on track on a breath-taking Saturday Night Football.
Rob Edwards' side thought they had earned a point from a two-goal deficit when Carlton Morris' controlled volley (72) added to Tahith Chong's strike (66), but substitute Digne ran onto Moussa Diaby's cross with a minute of normal time remaining to restore Villa's lead.
Villa surged into a commanding position at half-time as two goals from Ollie Watkins (24, 38) had sent them on their way to victory. Luton refused to fold in the same way Sheffield United did last month but Villa dug deep and found an answer to the hosts' battling second-half comeback.
Unai Emery's side cemented their position in fourth, moving onto 55 points, 11 ahead of Manchester United in sixth ahead of their trip to the Etihad Stadium to face neighbours Manchester City on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.
"We showed character and the right mentality," said Emery. "We conceded two goals but our reaction was fantastic. The impact was brilliant and there was a big commitment to help the team."
The result leaves 18th-placed Luton still in the relegation zone on 20 points, four adrift of Nottingham Forest above them in a position of safety.
How Villa won it twice
There is a whole generation of Villa fans who have not seen their team compete at the top table of European football. But Emery has got supporters dreaming of those days returning with Villa challenging for a place in next season's Champions League.
They last competed in the competition back in 1982/83 - one season after winning the European Cup - but in the wind and rain of Bedfordshire, there were second-half warning signs their charming manager will heed to ensure that charge does not derail.
These are exciting times under Emery, who takes his players to Amsterdam next Thursday to face Ajax in the last 16 of the Europa Conference League. That was no distraction, as Watkins put them in control by the break.
His first goal was predatory, rising to glance in Leon Bailey's corner. It was the 25th goal involvement of another highly productive season for the striker - the outright most of any player in the Premier League.
Watkins might have got his second sooner when clipping the post from another Bailey pass - but he didn't have to wait long to double his tally. Luton dithered as Douglas Luiz played a quick free-kick to release their chief marksman, who didn't wait for a whistle to tuck his finish into the corner.
Referee Michael Oliver subsequently blew for offside but upon consultation with VAR Peter Bankes, the goal was rightly allowed to stand. The back foot of substitute Chiedozie Ogbene, an early replacement for the injured Amari'i Bell, had played him on.
Having witnessed Andros Townsend head over in first-half stoppage time, Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp said: "Luton need to make sure they get the next goal. After that, you never know what could happen, especially if they get the home fans back onside."
At this stage, it had been too easy for Villa but Luton looked reborn from the restart, enjoying 75 per cent possession inside the opening 15 minutes.
They deservedly halved the arrears when Chong was on hand to finish from close range after Matty Cash had done well to initially keep out Reece Burke's effort from a corner.
"We're in this fight. Together we're in this fight and we'll fight all the way." Those were the words of Rob Edwards in his programme notes - and in this game of two halves, that fighting spirit was now being witnessed in spades.
It was another set-piece which would be the route to Luton's leveller just six minutes later as Alfie Doughty's free-kick was steered back across goal by Morris for his eighth of the season.
The striker ought to have then done better when he met Ross Barkley's cross to head straight at Emiliano Martinez. Emery looked like he had seen a ghost as he made a quadruple change, including the substitute Morgan Rogers being substituted.
It was the first time Luton had played Villa here in the league in 32 years, and the visitors ensured they departed with all three points right at the death as one of those four replacements Diaby curled in a delicious cross for another substitute Digne to head into the ground and beyond Thomas Kaminski.
There was still time for Teden Mengi to head over another Doughty delivery deep into stoppage time but Villa survived.
Edwards: Angriest I've felt all season
Luton boss Rob Edwards: "As you can imagine, [the mood] is down. We don't deserve to lose based on the performance and the chances we created. It's difficult to take right now. It's probably the angriest I've been today.
"I wasn't at half-time. Everyone gets fixated with goals but I thought we had played well. Villa are a Champions League team, what do you expect, to be 2-0 up? It's hard to create chances and get behind them.
"Just because we were 2-0 down, there wasn't loads wrong. We asked them to up the intensity and found a way to get back into the game with loads of endeavour, passion and heart. It's hard to then lose it late on.
"There was a lot to like about how we played against a brilliant team. We've done that before. I'll struggle to sleep tonight but I know it'll be better because of how we performed. We now need to try to shut teams out as there were a few basic things we got wrong."
On a pivotal next three games [against Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest]: "I know they're right in and around us. Tonight was a chance for us to get something but every game is difficult and brings its own pressures.
"It doesn't mean we're automatically going to pick the points up and the pressure builds when you don't pick up results. We just have to attack the next game."
Emery: Watkins one of Europe's best strikers
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery: "[Ollie Watkins] is fantastic. He's an example for the other players, always working hard to learn more. His mentality increased his level, practising and practising. He's committed to working defensively. He's defending set pieces, creating chances and he's been available to play 90 minutes every week more or less. He needs his team-mates to help him."
Is Watkins under-rated outside of Villa? "Each player has their quality and their mentality. It's hard to find a player with his mentality. He wants to learn every day to increase the level of his quality.
"Our position in fourth is due to everybody but his impact is high of course. He's shown [he's one of the best strikers in Europe], yes of course he is. As a person he is humble to avoid having an ego. [The goals] haven't changed him."
Player of the match - Ollie Watkins
Ollie Watkins has been directly involved in 26 Premier League goals this season, the outright most of any player in the competition (16 goals, 10 assists).
Watkins has netted 16 goals in the Premier League across 2023-24, surpassing his previous highest tally in a single top-flight campaign (15 in 2022-23).
The striker has scored eight goals across his last eight Premier League games away from home. The striker has netted nine away goals in the competition this season, the joint-most such strikes in a single Premier League campaign for Aston Villa (alongside Dwight Yorke in 1997-98).
Analysis: Huge moment in Champions League race
Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp: "It's a huge moment in this top-four race. Ollie Watkins has got to be a shoo-in for a Euro 2024 place. In the first half, Villa were fabulous. Luton couldn't get near them. They never put them under any pressure.
"Second half, it was a different story. They made a lot of changes. But that quadruple sub by Villa was a huge moment."
Sky Sports' Lee Hendrie: "When you look at Manchester City vs Manchester United on Sunday, it gives Villa that extra bit of breathing space. It's 11 points they're adrift now [of United].
"Fifth place could bring the Champions League so it's massive for the club. This just shows what this squad is all about. For the manager to celebrate the way he did, I think that meant an awful lot."
Luton endeavours rendered in vain - Opta stats
What's next?
Aston Villa visit Ajax in the Europa Conference League on Thursday (kick-off 5.45pm) before hosting Tottenham next Sunday for a top-four place showdown.
Luton travel to Crystal Palace next Saturday (kick-off 3pm).