Aston Villa 1-2 Manchester United
by Gene Sylvester
at Villa Park
 

MANCHESTER UNITED travelled to Villa Park for the final Premier League match of the weekend, buoyed by their recent form of three wins on the bounce, to face an Aston Villa team who were looking to try and rekindle their own early season form, which had seen them flirt with top spot as recently as December.

But it was the men from Manchester who ended up taking home all three points as super sub Scott McTominay once again proved to be the Red Devils’ saviour with a bullet header in the 85th minute to seal a 2-1 victory and send the travelling fans back up the M6 in jubilant mood.

The timing of McTominay’s goal was a real sickener for the home fans as it came during a period where Villa looked the most likely to snatch a winner after they had clawed themselves back into the game after going down to an Erasmus Hojlund opener.

The summer recruit came into this game in hot goalscoring form, following a slow start to his United career, having scored in each of his last four games and the Danish forward made it five goals in five starts at Villa park.

The goal came about following a deep corner from United skipper Bruno Fernandez whose flighted ball was met by Harry Maguire, out-jumping Diego Carlos in the air to nod back towards the Villa six-yard box, and straight to the feet of the unmarked Hojlund, who was able to slot the ball through the legs of Emiliano Martinez in the Villa goal from close range.

Villa created a host of opportunities to draw level, but some wayward finishing aligned with a couple of great saves from Andre Onana saw them go into the half-time break trailing.

“We had more chances than them, but they were clinical. Some days we will be clinical and sometimes not,” bemoaned Unai Emery following the match

Emery’s troops eventually got the reward that their second-half domination warranted.

Leon Bailey’s corner kick to the far post was volleyed back into the crowd of players in the six-yard box by Alex Moreno, where Clement Longlet controlled and tried to flick the ball into the net, but Onana once again stood tall to block the Frenchman’s effort.

The ball however was only cleared back to Villa wide man Bailey who fired in a low cross that was scooped into the roof of the net from six yards out by Douglas Luiz, much to the delight of the Villa Park faithful.

Despite the home side looking the most likely to bag a winner, it was United who claimed all three points when Diogo Dalot’s first-time cross was met by 73rd-minute substitute McTominay, who held off Villa right-back Matty Cash to send a bullet header past the helpless Martinez with four minutes of normal time remaining.

Following the match, Ten Hag was full of praise.

“Mctominay is the example. Not many players can come off bench, and bring this energy, but he is always ready for one minute or for 90 mins,” he said.

“He brings energy, fresh legs and can also make the box and score goals like he did today.”

The win brought the Red Devils to within six points of the top four, and Ten Hag wasn’t shy in stating his team’s intentions for the remainder of the season.

“We have to catch up with the teams above us. We are in February and have many games to play.”