Analysis: Dean Smith's Aston Villa exorcise Old Trafford ghosts with landmark triumph

So few have been the triumphs and so frequent the heartbreak against the Red Devils. Over more than a quarter of a century, United have owned Villa both physically and mentally.

Saturday, then, felt less of a football match than an exorcism.

For around 90 seconds after referee Mike Dean pointed to the penalty spot in stoppage time, around 2,400 Villa fans packed into a corner of Old Trafford were resigned to witnessing a painfully familiar script.

Just a few minutes prior, Kortney Hause had powered home a header to put their team ahead, the goal coming late enough even the most pessimistic Villa supporter would have been forced to concede sensing a smidgen of hope.

And yet in an instant it appeared to be dashed. Edinson Cavani flicked on a cross, the otherwise excellent Hause found himself in the wrong position and a split-second later the ball hit his arm.

Bruno Fernandes, scorer from the spot in each of his previous three matches against Villa, stood over the penalty. Not for the first time in the recent history of the fixture, it appeared Villa were about to let United off the hook. Except on this occasion, things really were different. Fernandes blazed his effort several yards over the bar and though Villa’s task was not quite complete, from that moment there was no doubt they were on course to complete only their second Premier League win over United in 26 years and the first since 2009.

That last victory, courtesy of a Gabby Agbonlahor goal, was also the last time Villa could be considered a serious top six force.

Dean Smith’s team still have some way to go before they can be described in those terms, yet Saturday’s result will have increased belief they are on the right track.

The 2009 win at Old Trafford was one of the final hurrahs of Martin O’Neill’s managerial reign. By contrast, after Saturday, Smith’s feels like it is still on the rise.

Particularly telling was the head coach’s reaction to what was unquestionably a landmark win and arguably the finest since he took the helm nearly three years ago.

After sending a couple of fist pumps in the direction of away supporters, Smith made sure his post-match offerings were hyperbole free. He did not speak as though this win was any great achievement, more a stepping stone toward the bigger goal. Such a mentality can be seen in his players. Having beaten United once, Villa will want to do it again and again.

Privately, of course, Smith will know the significance of this victory. For all Villa’s progression during his time in charge, there were some who wondered whether the departure of Jack Grealish might prove pivotal. Smith’s record without his former talisman was hardly stellar.

Such a notion looks almost insulting now. Though the season remains young, increasingly Villa look like they are going to be just fine. Indeed, the club’s bullish belief they were stronger for the manner the Grealish fee was reinvested is starting to look vindicated. With better finishing, they might well have beaten both Chelsea and United in recent weeks.

On Saturday, they were missing £25million signing Leon Bailey through injury while their most expensive purchase of all, Emi Buendia, did not make it on the pitch until the 78th minute.

In Hause, meanwhile, they had a match-winner to perfectly illustrate their strength in depth.

No-one has had to be more patient than the centre-back, who since joining Villa – initially on loan – in January 2019 has seen his chances limited by an unfortunate habit of picking up injuries at the worst possible moment.

Saturday was just his 34th start for the club but rarely when called upon has he ever let them down. In an age when defenders are judged almost as much by their ability to pick a pass than make a tackle, Hause’s no-nonsense approach makes him something of a throwback yet is pretty effective, as both Romelu Lukaku and Cristiano Ronaldo will now attest.

If Saturday was the trigger for an extended run in the team, it will be fully deserved.

At the very least, Hause deserves to keep his place for next Sunday’s trip to Tottenham, where a win would surely set belief and expectation levels soaring to previously unprecedented levels.

Impressive as Villa were at Old Trafford, it would be wrong to describe their performance as perfect. There were times when they lacked fluency in attack and the long-term challenge for Smith will be hitting on a system which best utilises the likes of Bailey, Buendia and Bertrand Traore, the latter of whom spent the afternoon watching from the bench.

On the other hand, you can’t argue with results. Against the top teams, or those expected to dictate the pace, the system utilised on Saturday and at Stamford Bridge earlier in the month would appear the correct one.

Smith’s decision to employ Austin MacPhee as a specialist set-piece coach looks particularly shrewd. Hause’s winner was the third goal Villa have scored from a set-piece in six Premier League matches so far and in Douglas Luiz, who has begun the campaign in excellent fashion, they have a player capable of delivering consistently from dead ball situations. On Saturday his corner set Villa on their way to a memorable win but the real excitement lies in the sense Smith’s team are only just getting started.