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.

“It’s a mood of disappointment. What I will say is today I thought they were outstanding,” Black told the BBC. “Energy levels, desire to stick to the plan.

“But for some misfortune I thought we could have got a draw. Since I arrived the boys have been outstanding. I know there has been criticism, some of it deserved, but today they made a step back for the supporters and showed there was some pride for the shirt.

“There are players in there capable of playing in the Championship. People in certain places will make sure that Villa will come back, I’m confident of that and that process has to start now.”

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.

Earlier, Sunderland gave themselves hope of yet another escape from relegation, with a 3-0 win away to fellow strugglers Norwich City.

Victory at Carrow Road left the north-east side still in the bottom three but just one point adrift of Norwich and with a game in hand over the Canaries.

Fabio Borini’s first-half penalty and strikes from Jermain Defoe and Duncan Watmore after the interval saw Sunderland to a first win in seven matches.

The result was an understandable relief for Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce, who told the BBC: “The most pleasing thing of all was the clean sheet, that is our way forward with five games to go.

“I know if we can keep two or three clean sheets in those game we’ll be safe because I know we can score.”

Newcastle United, Sunderland’s northeast rivals, bolstered their hopes of top-flight survival with a 3-0 win at home to Swansea.

Jamaal Lascelles headed in Andros Townsend’s corner four minutes before the break and Moussa Sissoko made the game safe for the Magpies eight minutes from time, as they marked manager Rafael Benitez’s 56th birthday in style.

Townsend rounded off the scoring in the 89th minute.

Newcastle remained in the relegation zone but victory saw them move to within three points of Norwich.

Watford, promoted last season, cemented their place in the Premier League with a 1-0 win away to West Bromwich Albion, that saw goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes twice save penalties from Saido Berahino.

His first spot-kick stop came in the 66th minute after he had tripped Berahino and Gomes denied the striker again when, after a foul on Stephane Sessegnon, he dived low to his left to push another penalty effort past the post.

Gomes’ saves helped Watford maintain a lead established through Ben Watson’s 27th-minute goal at the Hawthorns.

Southampton moved to within a point of a top six place after a 1-1 draw away to Everton.

Ramiro Funes Mori put Everton ahead in the 68th minute, but the hosts’ lead lasted just eight minutes, with Sadio Mane equalising for the Saints at Goodison Park.