Aston Villa lost 0-2 to Manchester United. After the game, Unai Emery admitted that the team's away performance at Old Trafford did not get the due reward. At the end of the first half, Emiliano Martinez was sent off and Aston Villa faced a huge test in the second half. Goals from Amad Diallo and Christian Eriksen eventually led to Aston Villa's regretful defeat.  

Manager Unai Emery was disappointed that Aston Villa missed out on a Champions League spot. Although he thought some decisions in the second half were wrong, he also admitted that the team's overall performance did not meet expectations.  

Unai Emery said: "We missed opportunities today, but we didn't deserve more. At the beginning of the game, we didn't perform well. There were obvious shortcomings in both teamwork and individual performance."  

"Emiliano Martinez's sending off was a key turning point in the game. After that, we had to show toughness, defend well, especially in the low block and with the goalkeeper, and believe we can score from attacking opportunities or corners."  

"We scored a goal and normally if the referee had better control of the game and waited for the referee's whistle after the VAR review, I think the goal would have been valid. We also watched the process on TV replay."  

"However, we did make some mistakes, the players also made mistakes, and the referee sometimes made mistakes. We have to accept the reality that we lost today and did not play a performance that deserved more."  

After the game, Unai Emery also summarized Aston Villa's progress and achievements in recent years. In the upcoming 2025/26 season, Aston Villa will appear in the European arena for the third consecutive year.  

Results elsewhere mean Aston Villa can secure a Champions League spot with just a point, but Unai Emery can take comfort in knowing that the club has already secured Europa League qualification with two games left in the season.  

The manager added: “Although today’s result is frustrating, we have qualified for the Europa League and are still competing in Europe. Last year we were in the Championship, this year we are in the Champions League and next year we will be in the Europa League. It’s been a very satisfying ups and downs. It means a lot to be in Europe and to have been in European competitions for three consecutive seasons shows the continued stability of our team.”