EPL: United Edge Villa 2-0 with Late Goals from Diallo and Eriksen

Manchester United secured a 2-0 win over 10-man Aston Villa with late goals from Amad Diallo and Christian Eriksen, salvaging their season.

Aston Villa's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League were dashed in dramatic fashion as they lost 1-0 to Manchester United. The Villans had a goal ruled out in controversial circumstances, and their chances took a further hit when goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was sent off. Despite being reduced to 10 men, Villa held out until the 76th minute.

In that crucial moment, Amad Diallo scored the decisive goal with a looping header from Bruno Fernandes' cross-field ball. The goal came just moments after Villa thought they had taken the lead when Morgan Rogers put the ball in the net, only for it to be disallowed. The loss meant Villa missed out on a Champions League spot, a bitter pill to swallow for the 10-man team.

Rounding off our #PL campaign with a win 👊#MUFC || #MUNAVL

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 25, 2025

Newcastle's loss to Everton earlier in the day had set up Villa's chance to qualify for the Champions League, but they ultimately fell short. The defeat marks a disappointing end to the season for Villa, who had been pushing for a top-four finish. Despite the setback, the team will look to regroup and build on their progress next season.

The controversy surrounding Morgan Rogers' disallowed goal was pivotal in the match. The referee deemed that Rogers had kicked the ball out of goalkeeper Altay Bayindir's hands, awarding a free-kick to Manchester United. This decision was crucial because the referee blew his whistle before the ball entered the net, meaning the VAR could not intervene.

As explained by the Premier League match centre, “The referee's call was a free-kick to Manchester United with Bayindir deemed to be in control of the ball before Rogers gained possession. The whistle was blown by the referee before the ball entered the goal, therefore the incident was not reviewable by the VAR.” This ruling meant the goal did not stand, and Aston Villa's fortunes took a turn for the worse.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery was visibly furious over the officials' decisions, first over the disallowed goal and again when Manchester United was awarded a late penalty. The penalty was given after Ian Maatsen brought down Amad Diallo, and Christian Eriksen, in his final game for the Red Devils, scored the penalty to seal a 2-0 victory for United.

The defeat was a bitter pill for Villa to swallow, especially given their impressive run to the Champions League quarter-finals this season. However, the loss means they will now play in the Europa League next season, a step down from the elite competition they had reached. Emery's frustration was palpable as his team's chances of finishing higher were ultimately decided by contentious refereeing decisions.

Aston Villa's defeat led to Newcastle claiming fifth place and securing a Champions League spot. However, the decision to disallow Morgan Rogers' goal drew criticism from Newcastle legend Alan Shearer. “I think he got it awfully wrong - for Newcastle's benefit as they sneak into fifth position because of that,” Shearer said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Shearer expressed sympathy for Aston Villa, saying, “I imagine Unai Emery and Villa are raging.” While acknowledging the laws of the game, he added, “I understand what they [the laws] are, but even with Newcastle benefitting you have to feel for Aston Villa.” Shearer emphasized the high stakes, noting, “That's not a decision that you want to go against you - particularly with what's at stake.”

Aston Villa finished the season in sixth place, while Manchester United ended up in 15th, their lowest finish since the 1974-75 season when they were in the old Second Division. Following the final whistle, Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim addressed the supporters directly from the pitch.

Amorim began by saying, “First of all, I want to apologise for the season.” He then added, ”Today after this disaster season, I want to tell you the good days are coming.” This message of hope came after United's Europa League final loss to Tottenham, which meant they failed to qualify for European competition for the first time since the 2014-15 season.

Erik ten Hag's tactical decisions were evident as he left several key players out of the matchday squad, including goalkeeper Andre Onana, left-back Luke Shaw, winger Alejandro Garnacho, and forward Joshua Zirkzee. Despite this, Manchester United dominated the first half, with Emiliano Martinez making four crucial saves in the opening 10 minutes. He denied Mason Mount twice and also kept out efforts from Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro.

The match took a turn when Noussair Mazraoui was injured, and Diogo Dalot came on as a substitute. Dalot nearly scored, hitting the left-hand post, but his efforts were cut short as he was substituted at half-time due to the stoppage in play allowing Kobbie Mainoo to come on. With the man advantage after Martinez's red card, United took control of the game, dominating the opening stages of the second half and eventually capitalizing on their chances.

Frustration was building at Old Trafford as Manchester United's chances of scoring seemed to be slipping away. The tension was palpable, with manager Ruben Amorim visibly expressing his annoyance. He kicked a water bottle in frustration when Casemiro's curled effort hit the upright, earning him a warning from the fourth official.

Despite the earlier struggles, Manchester United's late goals from Amad Diallo and Christian Eriksen provided some redemption, salvaging the season with a 2-0 win over Aston Villa. The victory may have come late in the game, but it at least gave United a sense of closure and positivity heading into the off-season.