Aston Villa missed out on Champions League football for next season with a controversial 2-0 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford yesterday.
Amad Diallo and Christian Eriksen’s goals in the second half secured the win for Ruben Amorim’s side, confining Unai Emery’s men to Europa League football.
The Villans were handed an uphill task after goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez was given a straight red card after taking out Rasmus Hojlund after Matty Cash’s under-hit back pass.
emi-martinez-aston-villa (2)
However, the result could’ve been different for Emery’s men, after Morgan Rogers was adjudged to have fouled goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, leading to the club making a complaint to the Premier League over the officiating decisions.
Despite the defeat and the questionable decisions made by the officials, numerous players failed to deliver, leaving the club with some big decisions to make during the off-season.
Aston Villa’s poor performers against Man Utd
As previously mentioned, goalkeeper Martinez made a huge mistake that handed Villa a tricky task to try and claim all three points against the Red Devils.
The Argentine has been linked with a move away from the West Midlands in recent weeks, meaning that his disappointing display at Old Trafford may be his last for the club.
unai emery
However, he wasn’t alone in producing a disappointing display, with left-back Ian Maatsen struggling to impress, even giving away the penalty for Eriksen’s goal.
His poor showing didn’t stop there, losing possession a staggering 13 times, whilst also losing 100% of the ground duels he entered, looking way off the pace and contributing to the defeat.
Both will likely be frustrated with their lack of impact, but despite their respective outings, one other player massively struggled, with Emery needing to make a bold decision on his future.
The 5/10 Villa star who needs to be sold this summer
After missing out on the Champions League, Villa now have a huge summer ahead of themselves to prevent breaking the Premier League’s strict PSR rules.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery before the match
The club have had to make sales over the last couple of summers, with this one likely to follow in the same vein given the failure to secure a place in Europe’s biggest competition.
Martinez is just one player touted with a move away from Villa Park, with midfielder Rogers another star who could see his future lie away from the club.
However, Emery must boldly sell fellow first-team member Ollie Watkins this summer, needing to cash in on the 29-year-old whilst his stock is at its highest.
He was subject to interest from Arsenal during the January transfer window, but the hierarchy rejected offers for their talisman, enabling him to play a key role in their Champions League aspirations.
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However, his showing at Old Trafford was nothing short of a disappointment, failing to deliver the goods and once again going missing in a key encounter.
The England international featured for the entirety of the contest, registering just 21 touches - the fewest of any player who started the game - highlighting his lack of impact.
Ollie Watkins' stats for Villa against Man Utd
Statistics
Minutes played
Touches
Shots taken
Dribbles completed
Duels won
Passes completed
Possession lost
Stats via SofaScore
He also failed to register a single effort on goal and only completed 50% of his dribbles, further highlighting how poor he was when the ball fell his way.
Watkins’ disappointing showing didn’t end there, only winning five of the 15 duels he entered, often being dominated by the Red Devils’ backline in the defeat.
Ollie-Watkins-3
As a result, the striker was handed a measly 5/10 match rating by Birmingham World’s Charlie Haffenden - further demonstrating how poor he was yesterday.
After such a showing, the manager should look to offload him during the off-season, handing the opportunity for another player to thrive at the top end of the pitch.
Given the current financial situation, the hierarchy will face over the coming months, Watkins should be the first player sacrificed, offering Emery the chance to mount another Champions League push next season.
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