Napoli failed to secure their first Serie A title since 1990 after being held to a 1-1 draw at home to Salernitana.
Luciano Spalletti’s side were handed the chance to win the Scudetto with a record six games to go after Lazio’s 3-1 defeat at Inter Milan, where substitute Lautaro Martinez scored twice to help Inter come from behind with three goals in the last 13 minutes.
And they were on course for the win required when Mathias Olivera headed home a 62nd-minute corner, only for Boulaye Dia to equalise with a curling left-footed shot six minutes from time.
Napoli need just two points from their last six games to win the title and could be crowned champions before their next game at Udinese on Thursday if other results go their way.
Lazio remain second in the table after Juventus could only manage a 1-1 draw at Bologna in the day’s late game, while Fiorentina earlier thrashed bottom side Sampdoria 5-0.
Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain were booed off after suffering a 3-1 defeat at home to Lorient.
Enzo Le Fee put the visitors in front after 15 minutes and PSG were reduced to 10 men just five minutes later when Achraf Hakimi was sent off for two bookable offences.
Kylian Mbappe equalised in bizarre circumstances when Lorient goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo incorrectly thought a free-kick had been awarded and rolled the ball in front of him, allowing Mbappe to take a touch before scoring into an empty net.
The furious protests of Lorient’s players fell on deaf ears but they had the last laugh as Darlin Yongwa restored their lead shortly before half-time and Bamba Dieng scored a late third just minutes after having a goal ruled out by VAR for offside.
Marseille closed to within five points of PSG after coming from behind to beat Auxerre 2-1.
Birama Toure fired the visitors in front shortly after the half-hour mark, but Cengiz Under equalised on 75 minutes and Alexis Sanchez grabbed the winner just two minutes later.
Monaco’s hopes of Champions League qualification suffered a blow as they were thrashed 4-0 at home by Montpellier, Arnaud Nordin scoring twice for the visitors who are now 11 points clear of the relegation zone.
A 4-2 defeat at Rennes saw Angers relegated to Ligue 2 and Troyes look set to join them after a 1-0 home defeat to Nice left them 10 points from safety.
In Germany’s Bundesliga, Bayern Munich beat bottom side Hertha Berlin 2-0 to move top of the table.
Thomas Tuchel’s side took advantage of Borussia Dortmund being held to a 1-1 draw at Bochum on Friday, with Serge Gnabry opening the scoring on 69 minutes and Kingsley Coman doubling the home side’s lead 10 minutes later.
In the day’s other game, Jonas Wind scored twice as Wolfsburg beat Mainz 3-0, with all three goals coming in the first half an hour.
Atletico Madrid closed to within two points of second-placed Real Madrid in LaLiga courtesy of a 5-2 win at Real Valladolid.
The visitors raced into a 3-0 lead inside 38 minutes before being pegged back by a Cyle Larin penalty and Sergio Escudero’s 74th-minute strike, but an own goal from Joaquin Fernandez and Memphis Depay’s stoppage-time goal secured all three points.
Cadiz leapfrogged Valencia in the table with a 2-1 win over their fellow strugglers, but Getafe missed the chance to do likewise and get out of the relegation zone as they lost 1-0 at Espanyol.
Juventus missed the opportunity to go second in Serie A as they were held to a 1-1 draw away at Bologna on Sunday.
Second-placed Lazio were beaten 3-1 by Inter earlier in the day, yet Riccardo Orsolini smashed home a first-half penalty at Renato Dall'Ara to leave Juve fearing a fourth straight league defeat.
Those concerns were not helped when Arkadiusz Milik missed a chance to level from the spot, but he brilliantly fired in after the interval to deny Bologna a first Serie A win over the Bianconeri in 22 attempts.
Juve remain below Lazio and crucially just three points ahead of Inter, Milan and Roma in fourth, fifth and sixth, and they face a real dogfight over the final six games if they are to finish in the Champions League places.
The hosts were ahead after just 10 minutes, a lengthy VAR review adjudging Danilo to have brought down Orsolini before the winger picked himself up off the turf to thump his penalty into the bottom-right corner.
Lukasz Skorupski preserved his side's lead with a sensational double-stop from Nicolo Fagioli, and the goalkeeper came up big again shortly after.
The referee initially awarded a free-kick after Milik was pushed over by Jhon Lucumi, but the VAR found the foul to have occurred inside the Bologna box. Skorupski was not fooled by the striker's hop-skip-and-a-jump penalty technique, though, comfortably getting down to his right to save.
Milik was more ruthless in the second half, however, bouncing back from his poor spot-kick to brilliantly lash a first-time snap-shot into the bottom corner and level.
There were big chances at either end in the closing stages, but neither side could find a winner as Juve at least snapped their losing streak.
Graeme Souness is leaving his role as a Sky Sports pundit after 15 years.
The 69-year-old joined the broadcaster in 2008 after a 22-year management career, but announced his departure on air after Liverpool’s 4-3 win over Tottenham on Sunday.
He gained a reputation as straight-talking pundit, who often clashed with fellow studio guests, and admits he “owes a hundred apologies”.
The former Liverpool, Rangers and Scotland midfielder said on the broadcaster’s Super Sunday programme: “I have to say, for me I decided that football management wasn’t for me anymore. I had totally the wrong temperament for it and personality.
“I was given an opportunity to do this and it has been magnificent. It has just been the most fantastic time for me. I love football and I care for it and I worry about it going forward.
“But in Sky’s hands it’s in safe hands and I think over the years we have treated the Premier League with great detail and I think we look after football very well.
“For me personally I have got the buzz of live football, coming to some fantastic games and some fantastic stadiums and witnessing some great events.
“I think I owe a hundred apologies but I haven’t got time for that to epople that I may have said some harsh things.
“I think people at home want to see us not always agree, but it has been great and I am amongst friends.
“Nothing goes on forever, I have got lots of things coming up. It has been great, so thank you to everyone.”
Souness becomes the second high-profile personality to leave Sky Sports this week, after Jeff Stelling announced his retirement from hosting Soccer Saturday.
Jurgen Klopp slammed referee Paul Tierney after he made a series of contentious decisions in Liverpool's dramatic 4-3 win over Tottenham, saying: "I really don't know what this man has against us."
Having looked set for a routine win when they scored three times inside the first 15 minutes, Liverpool squandered their commanding lead before clinching a remarkable victory in stoppage time.
Diogo Jota latched onto Lucas Moura's mistake to fire home the winner, prompting an emotional Klopp to celebrate in front of the fourth official – an act that saw the Reds boss both injure his leg and receive a yellow card from Tierney.
Klopp was angered by Tierney's decision to award a foul against Mohamed Salah in the build-up to Tottenham's equaliser, though his opposite number Ryan Mason felt Jota should earlier have been sent off for catching Oliver Skipp in the head with a high boot.
Recalling Tierney's failure to send off Tottenham talisman Harry Kane in a 2021 meeting between the sides, Klopp said the official has "history" with Liverpool.
"It was very emotional, of course, especially the situation before their third goal," Klopp told Sky Sports. "How they can give a foul on Salah up front? The linesman is directly there and keeps his flag down.
"We have our history with Tierney. I really don't know what this man has against us; he will always say there are no problems, but that cannot be true. I don't understand.
"How he looks at me, I don't understand it. I really have no problems with any people, and not with him either. He was the referee at Tottenham when Harry Kane didn't get the red card.
"In England, nobody has to clarify these situations, it's really tricky and difficult to understand.
"My celebration towards the fourth official – I didn't say any bad words, but it was unnecessary. I got punished for that immediately, I pulled my hamstring or whatever, so fine, that's fair.
"But what he said to me when he gave me the yellow card is not okay."
Pushed on what Tierney allegedly told him, Klopp said: "It's not possible, I already said what I wanted to say."
When told of Mason's view on Jota's high challenge, Klopp said: "Ryan has to worry about other stuff. They're such a good football team, Tottenham, they have to play better football.
"They can't just counter-attack. Diogo Jota has the foot high, but he's not going for the head.
"I heard Skipp could've had a red card. Did he speak about that as well? Wanting Diogo off the pitch... worry about other stuff."
The victory – Liverpool's fourth in as many Premier League games – lifts Klopp's men above Spurs into fifth, though they remain seven points adrift of Manchester United in fourth.
Asked if Liverpool could still make the top four, Klopp said: "Of course not. If United and Newcastle win all their games then how can we get there?
"If they start losing them, we are close. Until then, we have to win football games to qualify for Europe at all."
Leeds supporters have issued a vote of no confidence in the club’s board and manager following the damaging 4-1 defeat to Bournemouth.
Head coach Javi Gracia saw his side lose for a fourth time in five matches at the Vitality Stadium, leaving them only a point clear of the Premier League relegation zone ahead of games against Manchester City and Newcastle.
In a statement released on Sunday evening, the club’s supporters advisory board called for Gracia to be replaced, along with those responsible for hiring managers and buying players over the last 14 months.
“After the result and performance of the team today, the Leeds United Supporters Advisory Board (SAB) would like to place on record its lack of faith in the current management team at the club,” the statement read.
“The SAB have been supportive of many decisions this year and will always work with the club to improve the way the club connects with its supporters and communities, so it is only right that we also address the current performances and the situation we are now faced with.
“Leeds United fans have, and will always, support our club through its ups and downs, but with four games left this situation is no longer sustainable.
“The narrow escape from relegation last season should have been the catalyst for a season of growth but this season has now turned into a humiliating disaster.
“The appointment of Jesse Marsch, a style of play so different from that of Marcelo Bielsa, the sacking of Marsch after the transfer window had closed, the hiring of a fifth-choice manager, the purchase of a £35m striker who has played hardly any minutes in a relegation dogfight, the costly and embarrassing mistakes made in the Jean-Kevin Augustin case… there have been far too many questionable decisions and people must be made accountable.
“The players must also take responsibility for their abject performances and lack of professional pride since half-time against Crystal Palace.
“To pull on that famous white shirt is something that us fans can only dream of, yet it seems that some of the squad don’t have the fight for this battle.
“We are therefore asking for immediate changes to be made to the first-team coach and to those responsible for the recruitment of the managers and players who have been brought in over the last 14 months.
“The Supporters Advisory Board are due to meet with the club this coming week and hope that they are able to respond to this statement before the meeting takes place.”
Tottenham interim head coach Ryan Mason feels he deserves an explanation as to why Diogo Jota was still on the pitch to score an added-time winner for Liverpool after his head-high challenge on Oliver Skipp warranted only a yellow.
The Portugal international struck to secure a 4-3 victory just 99 seconds after Richarlison thought his first Premier League goal for the club had secured a late point having come back from 3-0 down.
However, Mason was incredulous that the substitute’s high boot, which cut Skipp’s head, did not warrant a red card.
“I would like an explanation and a reason why it wasn’t. I can understand referees on the pitch missing it,” he said.
“My feeling at the minute was an instant red card because when your foot is five-and-a-half foot off the ground and makes contact and there is a gash, it ticks all the boxes.
“We want the VAR to help the official on the pitch at that moment, but an experienced referee and VAR haven’t given it.
“A player that shouldn’t be on the pitch decided the game.
“I felt like we didn’t get that decision, it was a big decision, a crucial decision and one you can’t really miss.
“I find it hard and impossible to really understand why.”
Mason was doubly unhappy after seeing his side fight back from conceding goals to Curtis Jones, Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah (a penalty) inside the opening 15 minutes to draw level in the third minute of added time after Richarlison added to goals from Harry Kane and Son Heung-min.
“We come here and create so many chances,” he said. “On another day we win it with ease.”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was also unhappy with some of the officiating, so much so that he pulled a hamstring charging down the touchline to celebrate wildly in front of fourth official John Brooks.
Former referees chief Keith Hackett wrote on Twitter that Klopp’s behaviour was “unacceptable” and that “if we are to get improvement of the Technical area occupants then the law MUST be applied. Do not allow your authority to be eroded”.
Klopp’s issue was more with referee Paul Tierney, but his post-match comments about the official may get him into disciplinary trouble.
“We have our history with Tierney, I really don’t know what he has against us, he has said there is no problem but that cannot be true,” he told Sky Sports.
“How he looks at me, I don’t understand it. My celebration was unnecessary, which is fair but what he said to me when he gave me the yellow card is not OK.”
When asked what Tierney had said, Klopp added: “I will not say anything about it. The refs don’t say what is said so I don’t say what is said.”
However, he still went on to criticise Tierney and their history, referring to last season’s 2-2 draw in London.
Klopp said: “Paul Tierney didn’t give Harry Kane a red card but Robbo (Andy Robertson) got a red card. It was not the first time, there are so many things.”
On his celebration in front of the fourth official, Klopp added: “Of course, we are emotional in these moments. It’s difficult. It is not OK, we shouldn’t do that. Yes, we are role models but we are human beings first and foremost.
“I didn’t say a bad word to the fourth official – not at all – but I pulled my hamstring probably in that moment so, fair enough, I’m already punished.
“A fair punishment for behaving not the right away. I have pain for a few days, Mr Tierney not.”
Achraf Hakimi's red card in Paris Saint-Germain's loss to Lorient was "very stupid", according to coach Christophe Galtier, who wants his side to be more ambitious.
The Ligue 1 champions slipped to a 3-1 defeat after they lost the defender inside the first 20 minutes to a second yellow card offence.
The loss leaves PSG still with an eight-point cushion at the summit, although it would be slashed to five if rivals Marseille were to win against Auxerre later on Sunday.
Reflecting on Hakimi's red, which came after poor challenges on Romain Faivre and Darlin Yongwa, Galtier professed his frustration with both the player and his side's wider performance.
"[There is] no reason for Achraf to be tense and nervous," he said. "The second card is very stupid. [There was] no sign this week that he would be tense.
"It's a big disappointment, and we have to react quickly because we don't know how many points we're going to have. Our second half of the season [has been] very, very average,
"There needs to be a collective but also an individual awareness. Too many players are looking inward. We have to look ahead.
"The Troyes match is coming up. We've been first since the start of the championship, but we have to finish with victories. We have the ambition to do more."
Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw scored her 19th league goal of the season as Manchester City Women drubbed Reading 4-1 to go second in the Women’s Super League on Sunday.
Manchester City are now just three points behind Manchester City with three games to go before the season ends. However, Chelsea, with 40 points are third, four points behind Manchester City but with three games in hand.
In what was yet another dominating performance from City, it was Reading who took the early lead when Sanne Troelsgaard’s strike on the turn put the visitors ahead in the very first minute of play.
Chloe Kelly would level the score, bundling the ball over in the 15th minute.
Shaw’s header from a corner put City ahead in the 24th minute, a lead they took into the half-time break.
Manchester City would extend their lead shortly after the resumption when Lauren Hemp tapped in from a sizzling cross from Kelly to the far post in the 47th.
City’s fourth and final goal came from a Steph Houghton free kick into the bottom corner of the Reading goal to secure all three points.
Manchester United fans protested against the Glazer family before and during Sunday’s Premier League match against Aston Villa.
Friday was the third, and what is expected to be final, deadline for interested parties to make offers to buy the club.
Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe both submitted offers to the Glazers, who have faced fury from United fans since their leveraged takeover in 2005.
The 1958 – a United fan group that came to prominence last year – has led renewed protests and held another before the home match against Villa.
Leaving from central Manchester, the march continued on to Old Trafford as fans displayed a giant banner reading ‘Full $ale Only’.
Smoke from the flares outside rose through the concourses and filled the air inside Old Trafford as the players warmed up.
The 1958 also called for an 18-minute boycott of the match – “one minute for each year the Glazers have driven our club into the ground”. There were some visible empty seats at kick-off but Old Trafford was largely full.
Chants against the owners were heard from the outset and footage has emerged of manager Erik ten Hag briefly holding a green and gold scarf after Sunday’s 1-0 win.
Asked if background anger could make things harder for his side, the United boss said: “We felt really that the fans were behind us.
“So, we have to focus to be successful because that’s what the fans expect and they can expect.
“They have to rely on us, so we will focus on that.
“I’m sure when we keep performances like we do all season, the fans are behind us and there’s lot of energy and I think a really strong bond between the fans and the players.”
Erling Haaland equalled the record for goals in a Premier League season as he scored an early penalty in Manchester City’s 2-1 win at Fulham.
His feat is even more impressive as the record of 34 was set in the league’s early 42-game seasons by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer – here, the PA news agency looks at how Haaland compares.
Andy Cole, Newcastle, 1993-94
Appearances: 40
Goals: 34
Assists: 13
Cole scored only once in the first four games but got 15 in the next 12, including all the goals in a 3-0 win over Liverpool and doubles against Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham and Oldham.
Another hat-trick against Coventry and a standout performance in the return game with the Hammers, with a goal and three assists in a 4-2 win, were further highlights of his season. His 13 assists also led the Premier League as Newcastle finished third, making him the only man until Harry Kane in 2020-21 to top both charts outright.
Alan Shearer, Blackburn, 1994-95
Appearances: 42
Goals: 34
Assists: 13
Shearer was ever-present as he equalled Cole’s record and led Blackburn to the title – like Cole, completing his tally with a goal on the final day of the season. He scored three hat-tricks – all in 3-0 wins at Ewood Park, against QPR, West Ham and Ipswich – and four doubles in his second of three straight 30-goal seasons.
He matched Cole’s assists tally as well, ranking third in the top flight as he and strike partner Chris Sutton combined to set each other up on 13 occasions, a record broken by Kane two years ago in tandem with Spurs team-mate Son Heung-min.
Erling Haaland, Manchester City, 2022-23
Appearances: 30
Goals: 34
Assists: 7
Haaland wasted no time making his mark in the Premier League – scoring two goals on his debut against West Ham, a record nine in his first five games and 15 in nine. He has four hat-tricks to his name and one more will equal Shearer’s record of five in a season set in his 31-goal 1995-96 campaign.
The record-equalling penalty at Craven Cottage brought up his half-century in all competitions, having scored 12 goals in eight Champions League appearances and four in the domestic cups.
His league assist tally, though in single figures, still ranks joint-sixth in the top flight this season, defying scrutiny of his perceived one-dimensional role in Pep Guardiola’s side.
Roll of honour
Haaland began hauling in previous Golden Boot-winning tallies as early as November 5 after 18 goals in his first 12 games.
The 23-goal mark that has won the last three awards lasted only until January’s hat-trick against Wolves, which accounted for nine previous Golden Boot seasons in all, while he matched Mohamed Salah’s 38-game record of 32 in just 28 appearances.
18 goals – Michael Owen, Dion Dublin and Chris Sutton 1997-98; Owen, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Dwight Yorke 1998-99
Appearances: 12
v Fulham (H), November 5
19 – Nicolas Anelka 2008-09
Appearances: 14
v Leeds (A), December 28
20 – Didier Drogba 2006-07; Dimitar Berbatov and Carlos Tevez 2010-11
Appearances: 14
v Leeds (A), December 28
22 – Teddy Sheringham 1992-93; Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 2018-19
Appearances: 18
v Tottenham (H), January 19
23 – Hasselbaink 2000-01; Jamie Vardy 2019-20; Harry Kane 2020-21; Salah and Son Heung-min 2021-22
Appearances: 19
v Wolves (H), January 22
24 – Thierry Henry 2001-02
Appearances: 19
v Wolves (H), January 22
25 – Alan Shearer 1996-97; Ruud van Nistelrooy 2002-03; Henry 2004-05; Kane 2015-16
Appearances: 19
v Wolves (H), January 22
26 – Robin van Persie 2012-13; Sergio Aguero 2014-15
Appearances: 22
v Arsenal (A), February 15
27 – Henry 2005-06
Appearances: 24
v Bournemouth (A), February 25
29 – Drogba 2009-10; Kane 2016-17
Appearances: 27
v Southampton (A), April 8
30 – Kevin Phillips 1999-2000; Henry 2003-04; Van Persie 2011-12
Appearances: 27
v Southampton (A), April 8
31 – Shearer 1995-96; Cristiano Ronaldo 2007-08; Luis Suarez 2013-14
Appearances: 28
v Leicester (H), April 15
32 – Salah 2017-18
Appearances: 28
v Leicester (H), April 15
34 – Andy Cole 1993-94; Shearer 1994-95
Appearances: 30
v Fulham (A), April 30
Ange Postecoglou lauded Celtic after their hard-fought Scottish Cup win over Rangers offered the Bhoys "the chance to do something special" in their treble pursuit.
Jota's first-half header was the difference in Sunday's 1-0 semi-final win over Rangers at Hampden Park, teeing up a meeting with Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the final.
Just one win shy from sealing the Scottish Premiership and with the Scottish League Cup already secured, Postecoglou believes Celtic are on the brink of history.
"These things you have to earn," the Celtic manager told Viaplay. "It's not just rolling up and hoping it happens.
"Rangers put in everything to try and stop us. The boys were brilliant in attack when they needed to – and defend when needed to.
"You have to enjoy it when it's hard-earned. We've given ourselves the chance to do something special."
Yet Postecoglou insisted his side are far from the finished article, despite hailing Celtic's gritty character.
"It's not just about the football and individuals, but collectively, they take hold of games and have that resilience – that's the growth of this side," the Australian added.
"We're not a top team yet. We've still a bit to do, but you have to embrace every aspect of the game to be one of those sides and we're doing that."
Rangers manager Michael Beale pulled no punches in his assessment, suggested his team have let down their supporters with their endeavours this campaign.
Beale told Viaplay: "Over the season, we've not been good enough. We've fallen short in winning silverware for our fans and the club.
"We played well in the game, we were in the game the whole time. We don't want to feel like this this time next season."
James Tavernier hit the post as Rangers looked to fight back, while Scott Arfield twice went close as Joe Hart stood firm in the Celtic goal.
A momentary lapse in concentration proved Rangers' downfall when Daizen Maeda latched onto a loose ball and Jota headed in his right-wing cross.
"We had as many chances as we probably wanted today and it comes down to us switching off in the moment," Beale added. "In their box, Joe made good saves, we missed on the rebound too.
"We played well in the game, we were in the game the whole time, so we're disappointed to not get a result as I thought we performed well enough to get one. Today is a lot of what ifs."
Bayern Munich defeated Hertha Berlin 2-0 at the Allianz Arena on Sunday to leapfrog Borussia Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga.
Dortmund's 1-1 draw with Bochum on Friday opened the door for Bayern to pounce, and the 10-in-a-row champions just about took advantage against the division's bottom side.
After being frustrated by their opponents for large parts, Serge Gnabry headed in from Joshua Kimmich's dinked pass to open the scoring in the 69th minute.
Kingsley Coman added a second 10 minutes later as Bayern moved one point ahead of Dortmund with four games to go in the German top flight.
Bayern have scored the most first-half goals of any Bundesliga side this term, while Hertha have conceded the joint-most, but the hosts could not find a way past Oliver Christensen.
The Hertha keeper impressively denied Gnabry and Coman, with the latter also having a penalty shout rejected after being challenged by Maximilian Mittelstadt.
Sadio Mane missed headed opportunities either side of half-time, though Tuchel's side did eventually find a way through a little over 20 minutes from time in Bavaria.
Kimmich lofted the ball into the area and Gnabry buried a diving header past Christensen to give Bayern lift-off.
Christensen did well to keep out Coman's attempt shortly after, but the France international made no mistake when controlling Kimmich's pass over the top and sealing the win.
Bruno Fernandes’ strike strengthened Manchester United’s grip on Champions League qualification and ended Aston Villa’s 10-match unbeaten run.
Unai Emery has overseen an incredible turnaround since replacing Steven Gerrard and kicking off his Villa reign with an impressive win against the Red Devils in November.
But Fernandes’ first-half goal sealed United a 1-0 victory amid a backdrop of anti-Glazer protests on Sunday.
United had failed to win their last three Premier League matches against the Birmingham outfit and looked determined to halt that run as they flew out of the blocks at Old Trafford.
Casemiro struck the crossbar before Erik ten Hag’s men deservedly went ahead when Fernandes fought to turn home after Emiliano Martinez pushed away a Marcus Rashford shot.
Villa could not respond as they failed to score in a Premier League match for the first time under Emery, with the impressive Victor Lindelof clearing a late Douglas Luiz attempt off the line.
The match came just two days after Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe submitted their third, and what is expected to be final, offers to buy United.
Other parties are interested in minority investment, and it was reported that Joel and Avram Glazer could remain stakeholders under one deal being proposed by Ratcliffe.
A group of United fans marched to Old Trafford in protest against the Glazers, with a giant banner reading ‘Full $ale Only’.
Protestors’ flares outside the ground also filled the air inside Old Trafford but many did not heed the call for an 18-minute boycott – a minute for each year of the Glazers’ ownership.
Those that stayed outside did not miss any goals despite an impressive United start.
Rashford struck narrowly wide having been slipped through by Marcel Sabitzer, unaware he would be flagged for offside in the build-up.
The 25-year-old soon had another chance as Fernandes smartly played him in to get away a shot that Martinez spread himself well to stop.
The Villa goalkeeper did well there but was twice breathing a sigh of relief soon after.
United failed to punish him after he raced off his line to cut out a ball, then the World Cup winner slipped only for a Fernandes cross to just evade team-mates.
Emery’s side had offered precious little in response but had a superb opportunity around the 20-minute mark.
Ollie Watkins slipped at the far post as Emiliano Buendia set over a tantalising low ball, with Alex Moreno’s fierce follow-up denied by David De Gea.
Watkins’ penalty appeals fell on deaf ears, as did the United spot-kick calls that followed in a spell that saw Casemiro avoid a booking for a challenge on Ramsey.
The midfielder has been below par in recent matches but was superb on Sunday and went agonisingly close to a 28th-minute opener.
Jadon Sancho met a diagonal ball with some fine work on the left, before cutting back for Casemiro to eventually hit a strike that rattled the crossbar.
An entertaining half looked to set to end scoreless, only for Fernandes to make the breakthrough in the 39th minute.
Martinez’s goal-kick was headed away powerfully, putting Rashford through on goal.
The goalkeeper could only push away the forward’s low strike and Fernandes beat Moreno to turn home the loose ball. The skipper celebrated by staring at the away fans that had been goading him.
Fernandes’ strike was given the green light after a VAR check and he saw a stoppage-time attempt at a second comfortably held by Martinez.
Villa showed signs of life in the second half, but Lindelof frustrated Watkins and Ramsey.
Martinez stopped Rashford at the other end and Christian Eriksen dragged wide shortly after seeing a cross coolly cut out by Tyrone Mings.
Rashford went down claiming a penalty against Calum Chambers, while Casemiro went close as play continued without intervention.
Villa nearly capitalised in the 81st minute. Some penalty area pinball ended with Luiz seeing a shot blocked by Sabitzer, before Lindelof rose to head his goalbound follow-up off the line.
There were Villa cheers when United brought on Harry Maguire, but the away side could not find a leveller.
Simone Inzaghi revelled in "one of the best games" of his Inter tenure after the Nerazzurri roared back from a goal down to beat Lazio in an absorbing contest at San Siro.
Inzaghi looked set to suffer defeat against his former club when Felipe Anderson fired the visitors ahead, but three goals in the final 13 minutes turned the game on its head.
Two one-on-one finishes from substitute Lautaro Martinez – coming either side of Robin Gosens' acrobatic strike – ensured Inter leapfrogged Milan and Roma to move into Serie A's top four.
Lazio's defeat had handed runaway leaders Napoli the opportunity to clinch their first Scudetto since the Diego Maradona era on Sunday, but Luciano Spalletti's men were made to wait after they could only draw 1-1 with Salernitana.
Inzaghi believed Inter's victory was richly deserved even after seeing them fall behind, telling Sky Sport in Italy: "This was one of the best games since I've been here.
"At the end of the first half, I told my players that they should continue to play like that. We were down but we had put in a great performance after a very busy Wednesday.
"Let's not forget that we were playing against the team second in the table. Today, I saw a really beautiful Inter team."
Martinez's brace – his first in Serie A since January – was accompanied by a pair of assists from fellow striker Romelu Lukaku, who has started to hit form following a frustrating start to his loan spell.
With a huge Champions League semi-final tie against Milan to come, Inzaghi is unable to split his four forwards, with Edin Dzeko and Joaquin Correa also competing for a starting spot.
Asked which duo were ahead in the battle to start, Inzaghi said: "Inter's four starters at the moment are Lautaro, Lukaku, Correa and Dzeko.
"If you look at the playing time of the last few games, they've alternated and given each other great satisfaction.
"Right now we saw Lautaro's two great goals. If we didn't have to play like we did before December, we would always have had Lautaro like this.
"I have high hopes because he's an extraordinary guy, with the way he works."
Callum Wilson came off the bench to score twice as Newcastle fought back to strengthen their claims on Champions League qualification and edge Southampton towards the trapdoor with a 3-1 win.
Left out of Eddie Howe’s starting line-up despite scoring twice at Everton on Thursday evening, the England striker produced the perfect response after his half-time introduction, cancelling out Stuart Armstrong’s first-half opener and then helping himself to a second after Theo Walcott’s own goal had given the Magpies the lead.
Wilson’s 14th and 15th goals of the season contributed to a fourth win of the campaign over the Saints and an eighth in nine Premier League outings, to keep Newcastle ahead of Manchester United in the race for the top four.
The visitors, who made more than a fist of the game before the break but were eventually overwhelmed, remain in dire trouble with games running out fast.
Howe’s men had exploded out of the starting blocks a week earlier to race into a 5-0 lead over Tottenham inside 21 madcap minutes, but this time around it was Southampton who mustered the first attempt on target within the first 60 seconds when goalkeeper Nick Pope had to get down well to collect Kyle Walker-Peters’ firm drive.
However, Anthony Gordon drilled a seventh-minute attempt into the side-netting after running on to Jacob Murphy’s through-ball and after Pope had beaten away Armstrong’s drive from a tight angle, saw Bruno Guimaraes volley wide after Alexander Isak had flicked on his cross.
Nevertheless, Southampton continued to enjoy extended periods of possession, with the link between James Ward-Prowse, Walker-Peters and Armstrong down the left proving fruitful and with the injured Sean Longstaff’s foraging and drive missing from the Magpies’ engine room, they were well in the game.
However, the home side should have been in front with 19 minutes gone when Isak slid the ball inside to Gordon, who drew defender Lyanco and beat advancing keeper Alex McCarthy only to see his shot clip the outside of a post.
Joelinton glanced wide from Fabian Schar’s header back across goal as the pressure mounted, but to their credit the visitors held firm and attempted to counter-punch at every opportunity, albeit without the cutting edge required to do any real damage.
Murphy, who had swapped flanks with Gordon, curled an attempt over after cutting inside five minutes before the break, but it was the Saints who took the lead seconds later.
Guimaraes was caught in possession by Romeo Lavia on halfway and Carlos Alcaraz raced away before feeding Kamaldeen Sulemana to cross for Armstrong, who stabbed his side in front.
Howe’s response was to replace Gordon with Wilson at half-time and move Isak to a role wide on the left, although neither Sven Botman nor Wilson could make the most of Kieran Trippier’s 53rd-minute free-kick as it arced across goal amid an early onslaught.
But the two strikers combined to devastating effect within nine minutes as Wilson turned home Isak’s cross to level, and Southampton found themselves pinned back deep inside their own half and defending for dear life.
McCarthy tipped Wilson’s 68th-minute header over, and the former Bournemouth frontman thought he had done it again with 16 minutes remaining only for a VAR review to judge him offside.
The reprieve proved temporary as Newcastle flexed their muscles, Walcott unwittingly turning Botman’s flick past his own keeper before Wilson rounded McCarthy and fired gleefully home inside two minutes to secure the points.
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