Manchester United 2 Villa 0 - Report

First against Paris Saint-German in the Champions League, then against Crystal Palace and finally here against Manchester United on the final day of the Premier League season, Unai Emery’s team were unable to get over the line when it mattered most.

On a day when a draw would have been enough to secure a top-five finish and a return to the Champions League next season, Villa stumbled to a 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford, a venue which remains their Theatre of Broken Dreams.

Two goals in the final 14 minutes from Amad Diallo and Christian Eriksen, the latter from the penalty spot, earned a United team which had not won for eight league matches victory and means Villa will play in the Europa League next season.

It is not a bad second prize, yet the difference in prize money is significant and will undoubtedly have an impact on how the club’s summer pans out in the transfer market. The overwhelming sense is they could and should have had so much more.

Having won nine out of 11 matches to give themselves a chance of the top-five on the final day, they submitted arguably their worst display of the campaign.

Emi Martinez, in what may have been his final Villa appearance, picked up the first red card of his career for the club with a brainless barge on Rasmus Hojlund moments before half-time.

Even then, with Everton winning at Newcastle, a point would have been enough to lift them into the top five but they could not hold on.

Admittedly, the defeat was not without huge controversy. Morgan Rogers thought he had put Villa into the lead with 18 minutes remaining when United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir appeared to fumble the ball. But referee Thomas Bramall had already blown his whistle, meaning VAR was unable to intervene and correct what appeared a glaring officiating error. 

When Diallo broke the deadlock for the home side four minutes later it led to a sense of injustice among the visitors.

Emery stood motionless for more than a minute at the final whistle and waited for Bramall at the tunnel.

Villa have a legitimate complaint but it is also true they did not do nearly enough to help their own cause on a day glory felt there for the taking.

United have endured their worst season for half a century, last week’s limp defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League final the spark for further anger from supporters.

Not for the first time at Old Trafford this season, the match was preceded by a large-scale protest outside the stadium. Alejandro Garnacho, scorer of two goals when United mounted a comeback from 2-0 down to win this fixture a year ago, was omitted from Ruben Amorim’s squad. There was also no place for goalkeeper Andre Onana.

Yet for all the bad feeling around the ground, it was the hosts who began strongly.

Emery had talked of Martinez’s focus amid increasing speculation over his future and it was tested early. Noussair Mazraoui wriggled away from Ian Maatsen and flung in a cross which Mason Mount volleyed toward goal. Martinez saved with his legs and was then in the right place to hold Mount’s header after Rasmus Hojlund had returned the ball back into the danger area.

Villa could not get out of their own third or string two passes together in the early stages. Mazraoui was causing problems and another cross found Bruno Fernandes, with the visitors again relieved to see the shot go too close to Martinez. Amad Diallo then squeezed an effort just wide from an inviting Mount centre.

Mazraoui was forced off with what looked like a hamstring injury but his replacement, Diogo Dalot, then came closer than anyone to breaking the deadlock when he curled an effort against the post, prompting a scramble in the goalmouth where two United players were unable to force the ball home.

Villa were fortunate again when Dalot got in behind the visiting defence but could not find a team-mate with his pull back.

Still, it looked as though the visitors would emerge from their poor first half showing unscathed, only for a nightmare to strike in stoppage time.

Matty Cash’s pass back was horribly short, Hojlund always looked favourite and had long knocked the ball beyond Martinez before the keeper clattered into him.

While the goalkeeper protested, referee Bramall will not give an easier red card in his career.

Hojlund thought he had put the home front ahead early in the second half only to be denied by an offside flag but Villa’s goal was leading an increasingly charmed life. Fernandes sent a dipping shot wide from distance, before Casemiro sent a curling effort off the post.

John McGinn finally had Villa’s first effort on goal of the afternoon, with a shot from outside the box which dribbled wide.

But then the visiting supporters did have something to celebrate, as news of Everton’s goal at Newcastle filtered through. 

They thought they had an even bigger reason to cheer when Rogers pounced on Bayindir’s fumble and turned home. But referee Bramall had already blown his whistle and though replays suggested the goal should stand, VAR was powerless.

It took just a few minutes for Villa’s sense of injustice to be even more heightened as Fernandes crossed and Diallo crept in at the far post to head the home side in front. Villa were back down to sixth.

With three minutes remaining Maatsen clumsily brought down Diallo and Eriksen fired home from the spot to make Villa’s task impossible.

Man Utd (3-4-2-1): Bayindir, Lindelof, Maguire, Heaven (Evans 67), Mazraoui (Dalot 19 (Mainoo HT)), Fernandes, Casemiro, Dorgu, Diallo, Mount (Eriksen 67), Hojlund (Obi 81) Subs not used: Ugarte, Mainoo, Collyer, Fredricson, Obi, Heaton (gk).

Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen, Onana (Ramsey 62), Kamara (Barkley 84), McGinn (Ramsey 62), Asensio (Olsen 45+4), Rogers (Malen 84), Watkins Subs not used: Mings, Digne, Garcia, Bailey.