Why Man Utd will not be able to appeal controversial Conti Cup elimination after Aston Villa's ineligible player gaffe - explained

The Villans saw their impressive 7-0 victory over Sunderland overturned after Carla Ward fielded January signing Noelle Maritz during the Conti Cup group stage clash. The player happened to be cup-tied after she played three times for Arsenal in the same competition during the season and was ineligible for selection.

Despite the breach in Conti Cup rule 8.14, which addresses the fielding of ineligible players, the FA confirmed that Villa would not be knocked out of the tournament but the points would be awarded to Sunderland.

A statement from the FA read: "The independent tribunal ordered that the points deducted from Aston Villa be awarded to their opponents Sunderland, while the 7-0 scoreline is to be expunged from the record. As a result, Sunderland will finish as Group A Winners, with Aston Villa progressing to the quarter-finals as one of the two best-placed runners-up alongside Tottenham Hotspur."

Villa finished on nine, the same points as the Manchester club, but were placed a rung higher, thanks to a better goal difference. United vowed to challenge the decision immediately but later took their step back and put out a mildly-worded amended statement which 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."

United manager Marc Skinner admitted that the club has not been given any window to challenge the tribunal's decision and will have to live with it.

"I don't believe there's scope to challenge it," he told Forbes. "It's obviously disappointing but it's something you have to take. I don't believe we have the opportunity to have any input in it because we are not a team involved in that game. That's all we know.

"We're disappointed to be out but we will move on very quickly. I think it might inform future rules on the competition, but right here, right now, we're out. That's is as it stands and I think simply we have to move on."