ASTON VILLA’S long-expected relegation from the Premier League was finally confirmed with a 1-0 loss away to Manchester United on Saturday as teenage rising star Marcus Rashford scored his seventh goal in 12 games.
The 18-year-old striker, also on target in United’s FA Cup quarter-final replay win over West Ham United in midweek, struck in the 32nd minute when he turned in Antonio Valencia’s low cross.
Defeat left bottom-of-the-table Villa 15 points shy of safety with only a maximum of 12 on offer to the Birmingham club in their four remaining league matches this season.
Villa, under the caretaker charge of Eric Black after former manager Remi Garde was sacked last month, have won just three times in 34 league games this campaign and this latest loss saw them drop down to the second-tier of English football for the first time in 29 years.
United’s victory saw them move to within a point of local rivals Manchester City.
But City will strengthen their grip on the fourth and last Champions League place on offer to English clubs if they win away to Chelsea in Saturday’s late kick-off.
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