Man Utd 2–0 Aston Villa: Player Ratings As Villans Controversially Miss Out on Champions League

Sports Illustrated FC

·25 de mayo de 2025

Man Utd 2–0 Aston Villa: Player Ratings As Villans Controversially Miss Out on Champions League

Manchester United ended their 2024–25 Premier League campaign on a positive note, as they downed Aston Villa, who’ll play in next season’s Europa League, 2–0 on Sunday afternoon thanks in part to a controversial refereeing decision.

You might’ve expected the hosts to be flat and stale off the back of Europa League final heartbreak; a defeat which every Man Utd supporter hope is the final nadir in Ruben Amorim’s reign. However, the hosts performed with speed and slickness at the Theatre of Dreams to kick off Sunday’s bout, completely overwhelming the Champions League hopefuls.

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There was drive and dynamism in possession, and a willingness to disrupt Villa’s rapid, vertical buildup at source. Their impressive early intent facilitated a glut of chances, with Emiliano Martínez responsible for ensuring United didn’t open the scoring. The Argentine made a smart double save from Mason Mount inside four minutes, and was on hand to pounce on a Bruno Fernandes effort the United skipper ought to have done better with.

Amad Diallo was next to come close for the hosts, who squeezed an effort wide, before first-half substitute Diogo Dalot hit the post with a sweeping effort from inside the area.

Villa’s usage of the ball was rushed, allowing United to assert control throughout the opening period. The Red Devils slowed down as halftime neared, but they were presented with a gift via Matty Cash’s under-hit back-pass, which forced a panicked Martínez into bringing down Rasmus Højlund outside the area, resulting in his dismissal.

The visitors, now down to 10, were still in with a shot of a top-five finish at the interval, but they knew that a goal was required in the second-half. Their performance was woeful with 11, and Unai Emery’s side suffered after the restart with 10, but the offside flag and more Højlund misfortune meant the contest remained without a goal past the hour mark.

Chelsea’s goal at Nottingham Forest and Everton’s strike at St. James’ Park meant Villa crept into fifth with 20 minutes to play, and they were cruelly denied an unlikely lead when Thomas Bramall blew for a free-kick on Altay Bayındır for a supposed foul from Morgan Rogers before the England international finished into an empty net. Replays showed that the United goalkeeper didn’t have two hands on the ball when Rogers poked the ball away from him, but VAR couldn’t intervene because Bramall had blown up before Rogers scored.

Cruelly for the Villans, United’s opening goal arrived moments later, with Amad heading past Robin Olsen at the back post.

Everton still led at Newcastle which offered the visitors a lifeline, but their hopes of snatching a late point were dashed when Ian Maatsen brought down Amad inside the area. On his final appearance for the club, Christian Eriksen dispatched the penalty and confirmed United’s victory—their first in the Premier League since March 16.