Manchester United Win 2-0, Deny Aston Villa Champions League

Manchester United ended their difficult 2023-24 Premier League season with a 2-0 win over a ten-man Aston Villa, a victory that dashed Villa's hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League and secured them a place in the Europa League instead. The match featured significant controversy, including a red card for Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez following a foul on Rasmus Hojlund and a disallowed goal for Villa due to a foul on the backup goalkeeper, which sparked outrage among Villa players and fans. United's goals came late in the match from Amad Diallo and Christian Eriksen, with the latter converting a penalty, helping United climb to 15th place in the league, their worst finish in the Premier League era. Aston Villa finished sixth, narrowly missing out on Champions League qualification to Newcastle United, who secured fifth place despite a final-day loss. The match also highlighted off-field issues for United, such as fan discontent with club ownership and the sidelining of young talent Alejandro Garnacho. Despite the victory, United's season was marked by poor form, including a recent Europa League final loss, while Aston Villa's manager Unai Emery expressed frustration over refereeing decisions that influenced the outcome.