- Bruno Fernandes was on target as Manchester United tightened their hold on a top-four position in the Premier League standings.
- The Portuguese midfielder scored the only goal of the game.
- Erik Ten Hag’s team is still in fourth position but with a game remaining.
By defeating Aston Villa 1-0 at Old Trafford, Manchester United tightened their hold on a top-four position in the Premier League standings.
After a Thursday night 2-2 tie with Tottenham Hotspur, the Red Devils picked up their first victory of the season in the 39th minute when Bruno Fernandes scored the game’s only goal.
Due to Newcastle United’s victory over Southampton, Erik ten Hag’s team is still in fourth position, but with a game remaining.
How the game unfolded
Manchester United beat Aston Villa 1-0. |PHOTO: Getty Images|
In the eighth minute, Marcel Sabitzer found Marcus Rashford, who wasted a golden opportunity for Man United by shooting wide of the post. However, the offside flag went up immediately after.
In the 12th minute, Rashford did succeed in escaping the offside trap and into the Villa box, but Emiliano Martinez, the goalkeeper for Villa, successfully stopped the forward’s low shot from a slanted angle.
In the 13th minute, Martinez barely got to the ball as the 20-time English winners continued to exert pressure. Later, the Villa goalkeeper deflected a Sabitzer shot over the crossbar.
In the fifteenth minute, Fernandes got space down the right, but his shot rebounded off the post and Martinez had to sprint across the goal.
Emiliano Buendia’s deft work gave Villa a great opportunity of their own in the 19th minute when the ball ultimately broke for Alex Moreno at the far post, but David de Gea made a fine stop on the defender’s shot.
After some deft movement from Jadon Sancho, Casemiro struck the Villa crossbar in the 28th minute, allowing Villa to escape a potentially hazardous situation while once again being exposed by some deft play.
In the 39th minute of the game, Man United took the lead when Fernandes converted from close range after Martinez failed to clear a shot from Rashford.
The second half
Marcus Rashford failed to score against Villa. Photo/ Goal.com.
Malacia sent a dangerous low cross towards Rashford for the Red Devils early in the second half, but Villa’s Tyrone Mings just managed to deflect the ball away from the forward.
Rashford then burst into the Villa box again in the 58th minute, and Martinez made a good save to stop him. Sancho, Fernandes, and Casemiro were all creating havoc in the final third of the pitch at the time.
After that, in the 68th and 69th minutes respectively, John McGinn and Casemiro both missed their respective targets, leaving the score at 1-0 at Old Trafford.
Watkins’ cross found Douglas Luiz in the box in the 81st minute, and after the midfielder’s first shot was stopped and his second was brilliantly cleared off the line by Lindelof, Villa had a fantastic opportunity to tie the score. However, the offside flag was raised shortly after, ruining Villa’s incredible opportunity.
The FA Cup winners’ next match comes on Thursday when they go to Brighton & Hove Albion, while Villa will try to get back to winning ways on Saturday when they visit Wolverhampton Wanderers.
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