29 January 2024 , 16:14
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Manchester United Women will not progress to the quarter-finals of the Continental Cup after Aston Villa were deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player in their 7-0 Continental Cup victory over Sunderland.
Carla Ward's side cruised to a comfortable 7-0 victory over Sunderland in their final Conti Cup group stage clash last week.
However, the comfort was short-lived as it transpired Villa had fielded an ineligible player in Noëlle Maritz.
The Switzerland international swapped Arsenal for WSL rivals Villa during this season's January transfer window and was brought on as a second-half substitute in Wednesday evening's group stage clash.
However, Maritz was already Cup-tied having played thrice for the Gunners in the competition earlier in the season, having started Arsenal's 3-1 victory over Bristol City in November, along with the 2-1 victory over Southampton later that same month.
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Another appearance arrived in the dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Tottenham Hotspur in December, which the Gunners won 4-3.
Despite the previous appearances, Maritz was still brought on by Villa boss Ward, a move that arrives in contravention of Conti Cup rule 8.19.
According to the rule, any club to have been found in contravention of the rules will be referred to an independent tribunal to determine the outcome, which includes an order that the match be given to the opposition.
And following the adjudication of the independent tribunal, Sunderland were awarded all three points and thus will go into the quarter-final draw top of Group A with 10 points.
Noelle Maritz played three times for Arsenal during the Conti Cup group stages this season (Photo by Kevin Hodgson/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)Villa will also progress to the competition's quarter-finals having finished one of the two best runners-up. Fellow Women's Super League side Tottenham Hotspur, who finished with 10 points behind Arsenal in their Conti Cup group, will progress alongside Villa as the second of the runners-up.
However, the tribunal's decision means that United, who lost to Manchester City in their final Conti Cup clash on Wednesday, will not progress through to the knockout stages.
Following United's 2-0 loss to City, Marc Skinner's side were left with only nine points and a goal difference of nine.
According to reports, United are 'disappointed' with the tribunal's decision and an appeal could be likely.