In the process, Manchester United won the final game of the 2024-25 season by defeating Aston Villa 2-0, earning them a Champions League spot.
Unsurprisingly, United dominated the match’s opening half against a team aiming for a top-five finish.
Morgan Rogers appeared to have scored the decisive goal for Villa 18 minutes into the match before being fouled by United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir before heading home.
Emiliano Martinez’ dismissal just before the break helped the hosts’ cause.
After Amad Diallo immediately led the hosts in the opposite end, Christian Eriksen’s penalty saw United finish 15th, leaving sixth-placed Villa with a chance to qualify for the Europa League next season.
With a win over United, Villa could have climbed above them thanks to their 1-0 defeat at Everton.
Unai Emery, the manager of Villa, confronted Bramall after the final whistle because he thought the match official had made a “big mistake.”
Emery said, “The TV is clear about the move, but we must of course accept it.” It was mistaken, they said. a serious error.
Emery sat motionless on the touchline until the end of the show and glared intently at Bramall. Emery continued speaking with the official as they went down the tunnel after confronting him as he exited the field.
Even though Manchester United’s supporters had had a rare homecoming success, protest songs greeted the closing bell.
Final standings for this season, image. twitter.com/lRWyvmvkXQ
Meanwhile, Manchester City’s disappointing season was ended with the consolation of a place in the Champions League thanks to Ilkay Gundogan’s overhead kick and an Erling Haaland penalty.
City finished third overall in the table with 71 points from 38 games, marking their first position outside the top two since 2016-17. With 54 points, Fulham placed 11th overall.
When Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno swung Matheus Nunes’ chipped shot off the angle to Gundogan, whose acrobatic effort steered the ball into the net off the crossbar, City opened the scoring at 21 minutes.
When Sasa Lukic fouled Gundogan in the box and Kevin De Bruyne came off the bench for the final five minutes to score his 22nd league goal of the season, the visitors doubled their lead.
De Bruyne spent time with the City fans at the break, many of whom expressed gratitude to the Belgian for his decade in the club, while City pulled Jack Grealish out of his match-day squad amid speculation he might leave.
With a goal difference of less than Newcastle on the same points, City finished with 71 points, Chelsea with 69, and Villa with 66.
Forest will enter the UEFA Conference League despite still having hopes of placing in the top five heading into the last day.
In a festive atmosphere at Anfield, champions Liverpool ended their campaign with a 1-1 home draw with Crystal Palace.
Second-placed Arsenal defeated bottom club Southampton 2-1 away, finishing 10 points clear of Liverpool.
Tottenham Hotspur’s win over Brighton and Hove Albion in north London, which they won 4-1, gave them a boost over the Europa Cup winners, but that won’t be enough to guarantee a European spot for the south coast side next season.
Tottenham’s worst league season since being relegated in 1977 came to an end in 17th place.
Source: Aljazeera
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