Man United 3 Aston Villa 1
Much better second half from United wins them the game. United looked like a team that hasn’t played in 11 days in that first half with some sloppy play but in my opinion they probably just edged the half with Dalot and Amad both going close as United looked for that opening goal. Villa had a lot of the ball but didn’t really threaten in the first half lacking that real quality to open up a United defence that played well on the day. It didn’t take long for United to score in the second half as Bruno Fernandes whipped a corner into the near-post where who else but Casemiro was there to head home brilliantly off the post to give United the lead, the goal seemed to liven up Villa however who equalised just ten minutes later after Digne’s deflected cross fell to Ross Barkley who fired past Lammens with his weak-foot. It felt like Villa where more likely to take the lead after the goal but a bit of brilliance from Bruno Fernandes who sent Matheus Cunha through with a first-time through ball who pulled off a Thierry Henry-esque finish to give United the lead in the 71st minute. Ten minutes later United finished the game as another bit of magic from Cunha got him past Bogarde with his ball into the box bouncing around eventually falling to super-sub Sesko who’s deflected effort wrongfoots Emi Martinez and gave United a 3-1 lead which they managed to see out to go three points clear of Villa in 4th.
One more year one more year Casemiro. It feels like that Bruno Fernandes set-piece to Casemiro has become a go to for United to score this season so far with this one arguably being the best of the lot in my opinion so far this season, anything more than a glance at the near-post would have taken the ball away from the net but he managed to somehow kiss the ball off the post to give United a much needed goal at the start of the second half. He didn’t have the greatest first half along with most of the United players but he found his rhythm in the second half and it was smart from Michael Carrick to leave him on for most of the game where in the past few games he would take him off close to the 60th or 70th minute. The United fans were singing for one more year and you can see why with he’s played this season even under Ruben Amorim earlier on in the season.
Another blow for Aston Villa in the race for Champions League football. Villa have been on an awful run recently in the league and that continued today at Old Trafford, the thing Unai Emery will be most upset about is that second goal from Cunha when Villa were well on top in the game as one ball in behind sent Cunha through on goal who did finish brilliantly. You’re looking at senior players like Ollie Watkins to step up in games like these but he was dreadful today with Unai Emery dragging him off in the 60th minute for Tammy Abraham who looked far more dangerous when he came off, Morgan Rogers looked far more dangerous when he was moved centrally in the second half which makes it even more baffling as to why Emery started off the right-hand-side for most of the game. Defensively Villa looked fine in that first half but fell apart in the second half where United could have scored 4 or 5 if they were more ruthless in front of goal. Villa look devoid of confidence at the minute and maybe the Europa League will be their best chance of getting into the Champions League next season.
Bruno Fernandes moves closer to that assist record. With two more assists today Bruno Fernandes is now only four assists away from equalling the Premier League assist record which is currently owned by Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry who both managed 20 assists in a single Premier League season. Assists aside Bruno was yet again a cut above anyone else on the pitch in the second half almost taking the game into his own hands with some of the passes he was playing, it’s such a shame Ruben Amorim had him playing in a two-man pivot as that assist record could have been gone already if he was playing in the 10 the whole season. Regardless of that it looks like Fernandes has made it his mission to get United back playing Champions League football next season and he has to be making a case for Player Of The Season in the Premier League with no real clear-cut winner for that award this year, lets hope he can break that assist record.
A huge win in the race for Champions League football. With Chelsea losing yesterday this was a real opportunity to put some distance between them and Chelsea with United making the most of the other teams poor form at the minute, the win leaves United in 3rd and now three points ahead of Villa, six points ahead of both Chelsea and then Liverpool who play Spurs at Anfield later on. With only the league to focus on United have to be a shoe-in for that 3rd spot in my opinion with the quality they possess especially in the front of the pitch, Villa are in free-fall at the minute and could easily find themselves falling down the table if they aren’t careful over the next few matches in the Premier League. Next for United is Bournemouth at the Vitality on Friday with Villa taking on West Ham at Villa Park, big matches for both sides in the battle for the top 4/5.