Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Enzo Maresca was already safe before Chelsea kicked a ball on Sunday.

The Stamford Bridge hierarchy, who appointed Maresca on a five-year deal last summer, remain impressed with the Italian. They believe his style of play will ultimately pay off.

They feel injuries are a clear reason behind a dip in form over the winter period. They also highlight underlying data, like Chelsea being second in the league for missed chances, fifth in expected goals (xG) and only Liverpool have had more shots in the league.

The ownership have privately expressed admiration in recent years at how Arsenal rebuilt around Mikel Arteta, and similarly Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp, to regularly achieve high points totals in the league.

Despite misgivings among the fanbase about Maresca's style of play and results, the decision-makers want to prove they can provide stability after two seasons of hiring and firing managers.

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, speaking after win over Nottingham Forest: "Very happy. I'm very happy for many reasons. First of all, because I think the players deserve it.

"Since day one they have been working very, very hard. With the club, with the owners, with the sporting directors, the players, we all go in the same direction. And I said many times during the season that the noise was more from outside than from inside.

"City lost here, Arsenal drew here, Liverpool drew here and Chelsea won. So it's not easy. It's not easy. The players, they show how good they are, the effort they have been.

"12th two years ago, sixth last year and fourth this season. With probably the youngest squad in the history of the Premier League. So, very happy.

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea goal scorer Levi Colwill, speaking to Sky Sports: "When I scored, I stayed calm because we still had more minutes to play but I stayed calm and helped the boys.

"What I got taught in the academy is you have to fight. We try to get these clean sheets to win and that's what we did today.

"We had to win. We knew we had to win and that it wasn't going to be a hard atmosphere but we did it.

"This club deserves to be in the Champions League."

Image source, Getty Images

The average age of Chelsea's starting line-up in the Premier League this season is 24 years and 36 days - the youngest ever.

With qualification for the Champions League and a potential European trophy from Wednesday's Conference League final, the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge can start to claim their project is finally coming to life after several false dawns.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter at City Ground

Image source, Getty Images

Levi Colwill's goal clinched Chelsea's place in the Champions League next season with a narrow and nervy win at Nottingham Forest, who qualified for the Conference League despite defeat.

The defender's second-half strike meant Enzo Maresca's side finished fourth in the Premier League and ended Forest's own hopes of returning to Europe's top table.

Chelsea can prepare for the Champions League - a goal which was expected and demanded - with Maresca confirming their transfer targets depended on which competition they are in next season.

Victory also gave them the perfect platform for Wednesday's Conference League final against Real Betis in Poland.

It was disappointment for Forest, who survived on the final day last term, but even after missing out on the top five their season and seventh place is a success.

There is sure to be more to come from Aston Villa and their failure to reach the Champions League in the coming days.

For now, let's turn to some of the other decisive games in the Premier League yesterday - including a huge match at the City Ground...

Paul Robinson
Former England goalkeeper on BBC Football Daily

There's not one player that I've spoken to that wants to go on those tours, me included. I completely get it, for the club and its supporters, for the supporters on the other side of the world.

It's commercial reasons, I completely understand and get why the club does it, but then don't turn around in the next breath and moan about the fixture pile-up.

The players don't want to go, but they will understand that they are commercially obliged to do it.

Manchester United have embarked on their post-season tour to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and will travel to Hong Kong as they participate in two games before the summer break.

These matches have been organised by one of their prominent sponsors in Snapdragon, as they will take on ASEAN All Stars in Kuala Lumpur and then the Hong Kong team in Hong Kong.

United's season started in July 2024, and their season doesn't come to a conclusion until 30 May.

While these are two more fixtures in the season, their season still comes to an end before June, just like all the previous years, and these fixtures are a good chance for Amorim to play some of the players from the academy.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United

For Manchester United, yesterday was a positive end to a horrendous season.

They finish 15th - their lowest finish since one season in the old Second Division in 1974-75.

Immediately after the final whistle, manager Ruben Amorim spoke to supporters from the pitch, saying: "First of all, I want to apologise for the season.

"Today after this disaster season, I want to tell you the good days are coming."

A 1-0 loss to Tottenham in Wednesday's Europa League final meant Amorim's side failed to qualify for Europe - the first time United will not have continental football since 2014-15 and only the second since 1990.

Image source, Getty Images

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Champions League football was again crucial to Villa's immediate financial future this year, with the revenue in that competition four times as much as the Europa League.

It is therefore likely sales will be needed this summer.

Emi Martinez's emotional reaction at the end of Villa's final home game of the season suggested he feels his time at the club is over.

Forward Leon Bailey is a likely departure, but academy graduate Jacob Ramsey would generate the most profit if Villa need to claw back cash before the 30 June accounting deadline.

Villa have a £40m option to turn Marcus Rashford's loan from Manchester United permanent but it is difficult to see that happening in the Europa League.

While focus is on Thomas Bramall's decision to disallow Villa's goal, he was correct to send off their keeper.

Emiliano Martinez was dismissed shortly before half time for a professional foul on Man Utd striker Rasmus Hojlung.

Martinez became the first goalkeeper Opta has on record since 2003-04 to make five saves and get sent off in the first half of a Premier League game.

He was also the first Aston Villa goalkeeper red carded in the Premier League since Brad Friedel in March 2009 against Liverpool.

Image source, Getty Images

Law 5 states: "The referee may be assisted by a video assistant referee only in the event of a 'clear and obvious error' or 'serious missed incident' in relation to: goal/no goal, penalty/no penalty, direct red card (not second caution), mistaken identity when the referee cautions or sends off the wrong player of the offending team."

Law 12 states a goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball with the hand when:

• The ball is between the hands or between the hand and any surface or by touching it with any part of the hands or arms, except if the ball rebounds from the goalkeeper or the goalkeeper has made a save
• Holding the ball in the outstretched open hand
• Bouncing it on the ground or throwing it in the air

Micah Richards
Former Man City defender on Match of the Day

It is a howler. If you look, he [Altay Bayandir] is not in control of the ball. The referee has made a mistake and it should have been a goal.

He has made a mistake, as simple as that, and the problem was because the ref blew too early he couldn't go to VAR.

For Aston Villa to be so close, it is just not good enough. Referees make mistakes, we know they do, but he [Thomas Bramall] just needed to calm down.

For those wondering to what our previous correspondents refer, let us take you back to 2020 and the first Premier League match back following a 100-day hiatus due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Villa drew 0-0 with Sheffield United, and the Blades were the victims of a serious first-half injustice when Villa keeper Orjan Nyland fell behind his goalline clutching Oliver Norwood's free-kick in the 41st minute, only for referee Michael Oliver's watch to fail to signal a goal.

The draw Villa took that day was enough to keep them in the Premier League - they finished 17th, one point above Bournemouth with a worse goal difference.

What goes around, comes around, and all that.

Image source, Getty Images