Manchester United 2-0 Aston Villa: Morgan Rogers goal controversy as Villains miss out on Champions League | OneFootball

Villa hugely aggrieved by major Old Trafford decision as they have to make do with a place in the Europa League next season

Aston Villa controversially missed out on Champions League qualification on the final day of the season after a costly 2-0 defeat at Manchester United.

Amad Diallo and the departing Christian Eriksen both struck late for the hosts as they finished a dreadful Premier League campaign with a flourish at Old Trafford, but the focus will all be on an incident that occurred just three minutes before Villa, playing with 10 men after Emi Martinez’s dismissal, eventually fell behind in the second half.

Morgan Rogers poked the ball away from United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, who seemingly did not have it in his possession as he slid to collect it just inside the box.

Villa - who reached the Champions League quarter-finals this season in their first campaign back in Europe’s premier club competition since 1982/83 - finished the day where they started it, in sixth and with a place in the Europa League next term.

Manchester City came third behind champions Liverpool and Arsenal after winning 2-0 at Fulham, with Chelsea ending up fourth after winning a crucial battle with Nottingham Forest, who had to make do with seventh place and a berth in next season’s Conference League.

Newcastle, meanwhile, scraped fifth and the final place in the Champions League despite losing at home to Everton, a result that briefly had Villa in the top five while they were still at 0-0 at Old Trafford.

Manchester United bounced back from a woeful defeat by Tottenham in the Europa League final in Bilbao in midweek to finally end an eight-match winless top-flight run that stretched back to March and included three consecutive losses, finishing a desperate campaign in 16th after their deserved win over Villa was combined with Spurs being thrashed 4-1 at home by Brighton.

United were dominant from the outset of an impressive first half, Martinez making a flurry of early saves including two in quick succession from Mason Mount, as well as denying both Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro.

They lost Noussair Mazraoui to a suspected hamstring injury, with replacement Diogo Dalot driving against the post after being set up wonderfully by Harry Maguire.

Villa simply could not get going despite the high stakes and their recent sparkling form that had seen them win eight of nine matches since the start of March.

They lost Martinez on the stroke of half-time when he raced out of his box after a dreadful pass back from Matty Cash and inexplicably took out Rasmus Hojlund, leaving referee Bramall with no hesitation as he produced a straight red card.

Such a moment of madness was a hugely disappointing end to what had otherwise been a strong performance from the Argentine, who may have been playing his last game for Villa amid strong transfer speculation. Emery had to withdraw an attacker in Marco Asensio to send on back-up ‘keeper Robin Olsen.

United set about swiftly making their numerical advantage count, though lost Dalot to injury at half-time as Kobbie Mainoo came into the midfield and Amad shifted to right wing-back.

Hojlund thought he had broken the deadlock by glancing in from close range after Casemiro had headed on Amad’s corner, but the goal was rightly chalked off for offside.

Hojlund and Fernandes continued to have chances as Villa’s spirited 10 men clung on, with Casemiro also blazing into the stands.

United’s third defensive injury of the day saw young Ayden Heaven head off, with more chances spurned by Hojlund and Fernandes before Charly Alcaraz’s goal for Everton on Tyneside momentarily had Villa in the Champions League.

They thought things had got even better against the odds when Rogers poked away from Bayindir and shot into an empty net, but the whistle had already gone for an apparent foul on Bayindir and VAR could not review it, much to Villa’s fury.

That misfortune was compounded under four minutes later when Amad ghosted in behind Ian Maatsen to head in Fernandes’ pinpoint cross to the back post.

Eriksen - who will leave United on a free transfer when his contract expires next month - twice went close off the bench before eventually getting his farewell goal, usual penalty taker Fernandes handing over the ball for the Dane to drill down the middle from the spot after Amad had been clipped by Maatsen.

There were chances galore in eight minutes of stoppage time as Ross Barkley, Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins all tried and failed to set up a grandstand finish, with Jonny Evans also coming close to a farewell goal of his own for United as Chido Obi also headed off target.