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Villarreal scripted one of the most memorable fairytales in world football, upsetting Manchester United on penalties. After the game finished 1-1 courtesy of strikes from Gerard Moreno and Edinson Cavani, the Yellow Submarine clinched the Europa League trophy with an 11-10 scoreline in the penalty shootout.
The outing was rather cagey, with neither side able to split open their opponent. Chances went begging for both teams as the game was encapsulated by poor decision-making in the final third and sloppy finishing.
Emery won Villarreal their first-ever silverware and became the only manager to win the competition four times, and got his tactics spot on. While Manchester United were uninspiring on the evening, Villarreal thwarted every single attacking foray of theirs with utmost application.
On that note, we shall have a rundown of the five major talking points from Villarreal's historic UEL triumph over Manchester United.
#1 Manchester United come flying out of the blocks
Right from the outset, Manchester United ran hard over the Yellow Submarine's back line. They were in cruise control as they spent most of their time heating up Villarreal's defensive third.
Marcus Rashford let fly from a distance when Emery's troops sat back in to block any penetration.
Mason Greenwood enjoyed plenty of space down the right flank, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka making overlapping runs. With close to 70% of the ball in the opening 45 minutes, Manchester United exhibited confidence and intent.
Paul Pogba, too, dictated the pace of play from a wider role in midfield. He was able to pick out innovative passes and get the forwards into the game. However, it was a case of tireless probing for the Red Devils.
Much to their frustration, the lack of decisiveness in the final third cost them a realistic shot at winning the cup.
#2 Villarreal score through Gerard Moreno's brilliant run
There was much to appreciate about Villarreal's prolific goalscorer Gerard Moreno. His passing could not affect the game, but his hard work and recurring runs down the channels gave Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof a tough time.
Through a traditional set-piece tactic of running from the wide spot in an outspread line of attack from a free-kick. Moreno skipped past his marker and got the faintest of touches to glide the ball past David de Gea.
It was all about the late movement, calculation of his run and the timing of his goal. For all of Manchester United's aggression early on, it was Emery's set-piece strategy that breached the opposition defense.
#3 Manchester United's intensity pays off with Cavani goal
Villarreal portrayed extreme levels of resilience while defending. Their shape without the ball and organization during transitions of the game was simply stupendous.
Carving open their defense wasn't going to come by easily for Manchester United, until Cavani rifled home the leveler from a rebound.
It's fair to say Manchester United deserved a goal after all the pressure at various junctures of the fixture. Although they weren't as clinical as they would have liked, Ole's side never stopped pushing bodies forward and looking for a telling pass.
Cavani scored a goal that epitomizes all that he's about - gritty, alert and someone who can launch a sucker punch with little or no time to react. The Spanish side switched off for a split second and the Uruguayan was the first to react.
#4 The final turns cagey as the sides enter extra time
Despite Cavani's equalizer and Manchester United's sustained pressure on Villarreal, there was nothing to separate the sides after 90 minutes. Too many efforts on either side of the bar, wayward shots and a lack of incision from either side resulted in the game going toextra time.
Much to the surprise of the spectators, it was Emery's team that was more proactive in the second stage of the final. They created more space down Manchester United's left, as the likes of Rashford and Shaw failed to retain their positions or help out with the defensive scheme of things.
Alberto Moreno fluffed his lines from a glorious opportunity to cross the ball with all the space in the world, while the likes of Gerard and Raul Albiol won numerous free-kicks.
It was, indeed, a tremendous effort from Villarreal to have shut Manchester United out after 120 minutes. They proved to be the more hard-working team in extra-time, defended with serious concentration and gave themselves a realistic chance with penalties.
#5 A sensational shootout overshadows an uneventful 120 minutes
Completely against the run of play, the penalties elevated everyone's heart rate and turned the fixture into an absolute classic.
It was a complete contrast to the 120 minutes that transpired in Gdansk. Against the odds, Villarreal converted 11 penalties as opposed to United's 10 to have their name engraved on the Europa League trophy.
It started with a slew of mind games that saw both teams only going to the left side of the goal. There were some breathtaking spot-kicks, but Villarreal's Rulli came to the fore, scoring his penalty and then choosing the right side to parry David de Gea's penalty away.
One factor that was common between the 120 minutes and the shootout was Villarreal's collective effort. Quite remarkably, all 11 players on the pitch at the end of full-time tucked their penalties away.
While it will be a long night full of celebrations for Villarreal, Solskjaer's men will have to regroup after losing by the finest of margins. Perhaps Manchester United need more leaders on the pitch; personalities with the winning mentality and those players who can carry their entire team on their backs.
