Manchester United 2-0 Aston Villa

Ten-man Aston Villa fell to a controversial 2-0 final-day defeat at Manchester United, meaning the club will play UEFA Europa League football next season.

The visitors saw Emi Martínez given his marching orders in first-half injury time following a foul on Rasmus Hojlund, with Robin Olsen stepping in between the sticks.

Villa stood firm at Old Trafford before a key incident in the 74^th minute as Morgan Rogers appeared to win the ball from United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir and find the net, only for the referee to award a free-kick during play and VAR unable to become active.

And, almost immediately after the setback, the visitors finally broke Villa’s resistance as Amad headed in at the far post from Bruno Fernandes’ deep cross.

There was further contention to come as a penalty was awarded after Ian Maatsen slipped in the area and brought down Amad, leaving substitute Christian Eriksen to double the hosts’ advantage in the 87^th minute.

It ensured the Villans, who went into the last day having won eight of their previous nine Premier League matches, finished the campaign in sixth place on 66 points, missing out on a top-five finish on goal difference albeit securing European football for a third successive season.

Unai Emery named an unchanged starting XI from the side who started last weekend’s 2-0 triumph over Tottenham Hotspur, with fit-again Youri Tielemans returning to the bench alongside Jacob Ramsey following his suspension.

Villa were indebted to Martínez with just four minutes on the clock as he twice kept out Mason Mount, using his legs to deny the midfielder with a superb save and then collecting his header after the ball had been recycled.

United, having lost the Europa League final in midweek, started on the front foot and Martínez was again called into action to get down low and thwart Fernandes.

Amad was next to threaten as his 12-yard volley from Mount’s cross whistled just wide, before Villa enjoyed a spell of much-needed possession.

However, substitute Diogo Dalot went closest to opening the scoring in the 28^th minute as his sweeping strike from Harry Maguire’s cut-back rebounded off the far post.

Yet the crucial moment of a goalless first 45 minutes came in injury time.

Hojlund latched on to Matty Cash’s short back pass, Martínez came racing out of goal and fouled the striker before being shown a red card, with Olsen introduced for the closing stages.

Hojlund saw his header ruled out for offside early in the second half before Fernandes whistled a long-range strike narrowly wide.

Dominant United continued to cause Villa problems and Casemiro was next to go close as his curling effort clipped the outside of the far post.

Olsen stood up to save from Hojlund after he raced through, before Casemiro blazed over from 15 yards as 10-man Villa continued to stand firm.

Manager Emery turned to Tielemans and Ramsey just after the hour mark as the visitors looked to grab a foothold in the second half.

Fernandes drilled low and wide before the match’s moment of controversy as Rogers, latching on to Maguire’s header, looked to win the ball from ‘keeper Bayindir and convert into an empty net, only for the referee to blow for a free-kick with play active and video technology unable to be used.

And Villa were punished just two minutes later as the hosts found a breakthrough, Amad heading in at the far post from Fernandes’ clipped ball into the box.

Sub Eriksen sent a long-range free-kick on to the roof of the net before firing narrowly off target from 20 yards.

The home side then doubled their advantage three minutes from time as Maatsen was penalised for a foul on Amad in the area, leaving Eriksen to convert from the penalty spot.

Emery’s side continued to push forward in injury time, Cash and Watkins denied, but it was defeat on the last day of the season, with Villa having now won just two of their 30 Premier League matches at Old Trafford.