And United women are kicked out!

MANCHESTER UNITED have been eliminated from the Continental League Cup in controversial circumstances, with Aston Villa spared expulsion despite fielding an ineligible player in their final group game. Villa were deducted three points after Noelle Maritz, who had already played three times in the competition for Arsenal, came off the bench in their 7-0 win over Sunderland. The case was referred to Sport Resolutions UK for consideration by an independent tribunal. They awarded a victory to Sunderland, who will now progress to the quarter-finals as group winners. Villa remain in the competition as one of the best two runners-up, alongside Tottenham, but it comes at the expense of United. Marc Skinner’s side had been due to finish as one of the best second-place teams, but now slip out on goal difference. United are understood to be furious, and a club statement read: ‘We are very disappointed with this outcome, and do not understand its rationale. We feel that it undermines the integrity of the competition and the women’s game.’ Skinner had previously said that removing United would make a ‘mockery’ of the competition. Villa boss Carla Ward has admitted the club’s error was a ‘horrible mistake’. She said: ‘We need to take collective responsibility on how it’s happened. There’s been a horrible mistake and we have to get the right processes in place so this doesn’t happen again.’ In a similar case in 2014, Reading were removed from the competition when they were found to have fielded an ineligible player.