Man United 1 Aston Villa 0 - Report

The Portugal international reacted quickest to convert the rebound after Emi Martinez could only parry Marcus Rashford’s shot six minutes before half-time.

Martinez had earlier denied Rashford at close range as the hosts carved out the better chances.

Villa’s best opportunity fell to Ezri Konsa but he was unable to convert from close range late on as the visitors failed to score for the first time under Unai Emery.

Analysis

Konsa was unable to react in time when the ball struck him barely a foot or so from the line after Tyrone Mings had flicked on a corner.

Alex Moreno also tested David De Gea with a first half effort but Villa were second best for much of the match as they slumped to just their second away Premier League defeat since Emery took charge.

Their defence had more shaky moments in the first half here than in the previous few matches combined and the goal came from a series of lapses, with Rashford reacting quickest to a header and Fernandes then beating Moreno to the ball after Martinez had made the initial save.

Villa remain sixth in the table but will drop a place if Liverpool avoid defeat to Tottenham later on Sunday.

United caused problems from the start and Rashford looked to have missed the chance to fire the hosts in front after just seven minutes when he fired wide with just Martinez to beat, his blushes spared by a late but correctly raised flag.

But he was onside a couple of minutes later when found but Fernandes and this time unable to beat Martinez, who was out to save at his near post.

United were in behind again soon after, Marcel Sabitzer latching on to Rashford’s flick before sending a powerful effort just over the bar. With Villa continuing to be pushed back, Martinez was relieved to see a Fernandes cross drop wide of the far post after slipping as he tried to come and collect it.

Villa took 20 minutes to fashion their first chance but when they did it was a good one. Jacob Ramsey sent Buendia running into the right-hand side of the box and his low cross ran to Moreno, who drilled a low shot too close to De Gea. Ollie Watkins, who had tumbled as he attempted to reach Buendia’s ball, saw appeals for a penalty dismissed by referee Jarred Gillet and VAR.

It was a rare attack for the visitors, who were again left breathing a sigh of relief when Jadon Sancho picked out Casemiro in space and the midfielder sent a shot crashing off the crossbar.

When Villa did get the ball in forward areas, they were threatening and it needed a perfectly judged challenge from Tyrell Malacia to prevent John McGinn pulling the trigger after latching on to a Buendia through ball.

But six minutes before the break it was the hosts who took the lead through what from the visitors’ perspective was a frustratingly simple goal.

Rashford was quickest to react when Casemiro headed a Martinez goal kick back into the Villa half and though the keeper saved his shot, he could only push the ball out to Fernandes, who beat Moreno in a foot race and then saw his finish deflect off the Spaniard and in.

United were deserving of the half-time lead, though it might have been wiped out within a minute of the restart had Victor Lindelof not got a touch on Ashley Young’s cross to take it out of Watkins’ reach.

Both defences were making key interventions. Mings got just enough on a Malacia cross, albeit in unorthodox fashion, to prevent it reaching Rashford. Lindelof then threw himself in the way of a Ramsey shot after the youngster had threatened to wriggle through.

Villa continued to make life tough for themselves and it needed another fine piece of work by Mings to cut out an Eriksen cross after the visitors had again lost possession. Almost immediately, they gave it away again, Eriksen shooting wide.

McGinn fired wide from distance as the visitors hunted a leveller, though Casemiro was much closer to netting at the other end with an effort which skipped off the ground and skimmed the side netting.

With 10 minutes remaining, Lindelof looked to have pulled off one of the clearances of the season when he headed Luiz’ shot off the line before a raised flag, for Watkins having been offside earlier in the move, rendered the whole passage of play meaningless.

But the ball was live when Mings flicked on Luiz’s corner and the ball struck Konsa with the centre-back, agonisingly from Villa’s perspective, unable to react in time.

Key Moments

39 GOAL United take the lead. Marcus Rashford gets in behind, Martinez can only parry his shot and Bruno Fernandes converts the rebound with the aid of a deflection.

Teams

Man Utd (4-3-3): De Gea, Dalot, Lindelof, Shaw, Malacia, Casemiro, Eriksen (Fred 76), Sancho (Antony 76), Sabitzer (Maguire 86), Fernandes, Rashford (Martial 86) Subs not used: Weghorst, Pellistri, Wan-Bissaka, Williams, Butland (gk).

Villa (4-4-2): Martinez, Young A (Chambers 64), Konsa, Mings, Moreno (Digne 75), McGinn, Dendoncker (Traore 64), Luiz, Ramsey, Buendia (Duran 75), Watkins Subs not used: Carlos, Revan, O'Reilly, Young K, Olsen (gk).