Man United 1-0 Aston Villa: Hosts edge closer to the Champions League

Bruno Fernandes strike edges Manchester United closer to the Champions League as Unai Emery’s much-improved side suffer a dent to their own slim European hopes at Old Trafford

• Protests against the Glazer family were held prior to kick off at Old Trafford
• Bruno Fernandes winning goal strengthened Man United place in the top four
• The result saw Aston Villa suffer their first defeat in 11 Premier League games 

Manchester United took another big step towards Champions League qualification on a day of fresh protests at Old Trafford.

A deserved victory over Aston Villa saw United move nine-points ahead of Villa with two games in hand, three days after Erik ten Hag’s side had maintained their advantage over Tottenham, another of their top-four rivals.

It would take a collapse of dramatic proportions now for United to blow it over the final six games of the season after Bruno Fernandes’ first-half effort sealed victory here to hand Villa their first defeat in 11 Premier League games.

The match kicked off with the wisp and scent of smoke in the air from the pre-match demonstrations outside the ground, sparked by a realisation that the Glazer family may cling on in some capacity after all.

It has been a possibility from the moment the hated owners announced in November that they were seeking new investment, but reports that Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s bid, which includes an offer of a minority stake to the Glazers, may have given him an advantage over the Qataris had fanned the flames of discontent ahead of this game.

Bruno Fernandes scored the only goal as Manchester United overcame Aston Villa

Fresh protests from fans against the Glazer family took place ahead of kick off at Old Trafford

The protests were sparked by the realisation that the Glazer family may remain in some form

‘Sell United and f*** off home’ declared a banner that was draped as close to the directors’ box as possible, although the Glazers weren’t here of course and you suspect they stopped listening some time ago anyway.

It’s not an ideal atmosphere for United to play out the rest of the season as they pursue a top-four finish. But credit to Ten Hag’s side, they took the game to in-form Villa in the first half and deservedly led through Fernandes’ effort six minutes before the interval.

Casemiro, who was excellent throughout, started it off by winning a big header which sent the ball back over the halfway line for Marcus Rashford to chase.

Rashford was through and not for the first time either. He tried to beat Emiliano Martinez with a low curling effort but the Villa keeper lunged to his left to turn it away towards Fernandes.

There was still plenty for the Portuguese to do, with Tyrone Mings and Martinez rushing to protect the goal-line and Alexandre Moreno coming in to challenge. But Fernandes’ clipped attempt took a vital touch off Moreno and looped over the line as Mings and Martinez slid despairingly into the back of the net.

The United captain made a point of racing over to the corner flag to stare out the Villa fans who had been taunting him from the south-east corner of Old Trafford.

It was only the fourth goal that Villa had conceded in 11 games, but perhaps the only surprise was that it had taken so long to arrive.

Rashford – wearing gloves even though we are almost in May – twice failed to convert when he was one-on-one with Martinez, although United’s top scorer was offside on the first occasion.

Fernandes slipped effort gave Man United a deserved lead in the closing stages of the first half 

The midfielder celebrated by the corner flag close to the Villa fans who had been taunting him

Casemiro struck the crossbar for the hosts in the first half after being teed up by Jadon Sancho

Victor Lindelof denied Douglas Luiz the equaliser by blocking his shot under the crossbar

United’s attempts to get in behind Villa almost paid off again when Martinez rushed out to clear from Rashford and kicked the ball straight to Christian Eriksen on the left who was unable to make the most of an unguarded goal.

MATCH FACTS AND PLAYER RATINGS

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Dalot, Lindelof, Shaw, Malacia; Casemiro, Eriksen(Fred 76); Fernandes, Sabitzer (Maguire 86), Sancho (Antony 75); Rashford (Martial 86).

Subs: Butland, Weghorst, Pellistri, Wan-Bissaka, Williams.

Scorer: Fernandes 39 

Booked: Fred, Malacia

Manager: Erik Ten Hag 7

Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez; A Young (Chambers 64), Konsa, Mings, Moreno (Digne 75); Dendoncker (Traore 64), Luiz; McGinn, Buendia (Duran 76), Ramsey; Watkins. 

Subs: Olsen, Carlos, Revan, O Reilly, K Young.

Booked: 

Manager: Unai Emery 6.5

Referee: Jarred Gillett

Attendance: 73,592

Rashford then diverted Casemiro’s pass into the path of Marcel Sabitzer who fired over, and Jadon Sancho teed up Casemiro who hit the bar.

Villa did threaten on a couple of occasions. Their best chance arrived in the 19th minute when Jacob Ramsey slipped the ball through to Emiliano Buendia who guided it through Luke Shaw’s legs. Diogo Dalot and Ollie Watkins went to ground at the crucial moment as they tangled on the goal-line, and Moreno’s follow-up shot was blocked by David de Gea who made his only meaningful save of the half.

John McGinn looked set to test the United keeper in the 36th minute but Tyrell Malacia – who has looked unsteady in recent games – made an excellent sliding tackle to deny him.

An equally important block from Lindelof thwarted Ramsey on the hour mark as Villa continued to pose a threat. De Gea then came out to head clear under pressure from Watkins who had scored 11 goals in his last 14 Premier League games and needed one more to become the first Villa player to score 15 in the league since Christian Benteke a decade ago.

The visitors were refusing to go down without a fight and came on strong in the final 10 minutes of the game. First, Watkins got free down the left and crossed low into the box where Sabitzer’s clearance hit Shaw and fell to Douglas Luiz.

The Brazilian’s first effort was blocked by Sabitzer. When the ball rebounded straight to him, his second attempt was brilliantly headed away under his own crossbar by Lindelof.

Then, Mings got a glancing header to Luiz’s corner in the 85th minute but the ball was blocked by Ezri Konsa close to the goal line. It was an uncomfortable finish for United, but they held on and a return to the Champions League is within touching distance now.

Luiz’s effort was the closest Aston Villa came despite producing a late spell of pressure 

The result saw Erik ten Hag’s side take another step closer to Champions League qualification

Defeat damaged Unai Emery’s hopes of leading Aston Villa into Europe next season

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