Bruno Fernandez’s only misstep since joining Manchester United 12 months ago took place in Newcastle in October.
Manchester United signed with Premier League leaders Liverpool, while Bruno Fernandez’s punishment helped them defeat a stubborn Aston Villa.
Fernandes scored her 11th goal of the season – and her fifth from the penalty spot – in the top corner for United’s eighth win in ten games after Douglas fouled Louis Paul Pogba.
Bertrand Traore’s coolness under David de Gea helped Villa equalize with a header by Anthony Martial for the first half.
But Fernandez’s punishment allowed United to widen the gap with Villa – they’ve now won 32 of the last 44 league games between the two sides, losing only one – leaving Liverpool only on goal difference.
The reward for the scene made Aston Villa boss Dean Smith angry, who claimed that Pogba had stumbled and that the video assistant referee should have asked Michael Oliver to review his decision immediately.
I don’t understand why Michael couldn’t see this. That’s what the VAR’s for, isn’t it? Smith told Sport.
I thought it was a penalty then, but after the game I looked at him and saw that he had stumbled. I don’t think it’s a punishment.
I think there’s enough doubt to warn the judge.
Smith’s side was unlucky to leave Old Trafford with at least a point after a very entertaining match, but they also needed some good saves from Emiliano Martinez to stay in the game.
After Fernandes United took the lead, Martinez sent a 25-metre shot off the bar to prevent United from scoring a second goal.
Martinez’s opponent David de Gea also had his hands full. He saved the point with a late save from Matty Cash on a long-range shot shortly after Tyrone Mings had had a great chance to equate himself with a long-range shot.
Combined evidence that the company is.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have shown in recent weeks that they are perfectly capable of taking points at Old Trafford, as evidenced by their two 1-0 home victories over West Bromwich Albion and the Wolves.
But they also showed that they were ready to take on teams that would like to open the game, and although it wasn’t exactly a 6-2 penalty shoot-out victory over Leeds, it was just as easy to see.
A few successful first half moves created chances before Martial scored the first goal. The French striker had a Martinez header that deflected over the bar, while Fernandez and Van Bissaka narrowly failed with similar attempts.
Anthony Martial’s only Premier League goal this season was scored in a 3-2 victory over Sheffield United.
Mings and Ezri Konsa stole the ball from the Red Devils and headed in Van Bissaki’s cross for his second league goal of the season when he returned to Solskjaer’s starting team.
Although Luiz was unlucky enough to be punished for an accidental fight at Pogba, there was enough contact to justify a penalty and Fernandez continued his excellent work on the pitch.
United lost 1-0 after losing 1-0 to Arsenal at Old Trafford. November nine points behind Liverpool, but managed to close that gap in just two months and launched an exciting title race.
A minute’s silence before the match paid tribute to former coach Tommy Docherty, who won the United FA Cup against the Reds in 1977 and prevented Liverpool from claiming a hat-trick.
And although it may still be too early to talk about a second consecutive title for Liverpool, promotion to the Premier League Solskjaer will give even more confidence if he takes the lead on the 17th. Janvier’s going to Anfield.
Villa is impressive, even in defeat
Although Villa finally fell to the hosts, this bold performance is further proof of the progress Smith’s team has made this season.
They resisted well in the first half and caused problems for United on the flanks, with playmaker Jack Grealish causing a sensation and showing why the hosts have been considering a move by the Villa captain for some time.
They were even more impressive at the beginning of the second: Grey crosses in front of Watkins’ head, which is saved by De Gea before he quickly takes a free kick and finds Traore, that equalizer.
Luiz’s offense at Pogba came when Villa was already in the lead. Although the visitors then had repeated problems, Mings took a free kick from England’s central defender, Harry Maguire, and barely passed.
With the return of Ross Barkley with a thigh injury, that performance should give Villa some reason for optimism, even though the defeat ended their five-match unbeaten run and pushed them into sixth place behind Chelsea on goal difference.
And while their poor record at Old Trafford continues – only one win in 34 games since 1983, thanks to a Gabriel Agbonlahor header in 2009 – they’ve only lost five times this season in eight away games.
We got much better over the course of the year – what they said.
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer told Sport: They’re always excited about three-point hits. The performance was good and we created opportunities.
Maybe it was too obvious and we missed our chance. We were trying to play a Hollywood pass instead of securing the first one and using the space that was there.
We’re happy with what we’re doing. We have shown that we have improved considerably during the year. We lost to Arsenal on New Year’s Eve last year. We’ve improved dramatically.
Ltd. improved significantly during the year – Solskjaer
Aston Villa boss Dean Smith told Sport: I wasn’t happy with the first half. We were miles from where we were. It was like a trial match and then they took the lead in half the time, and rightly so. I’ve told the players that we need to raise our level.
We fought much better [in the second half], we showed more quality and we created opportunities. I’d do the second half of the play all day. We lost the game because of a questionable penalty.
If you look at our performance and our results, you can see that we are currently very competitive in this competition and that’s what we wanted.
Smith has many doubts about the punishment in Manhattan.
United remains the owner of the villa – Statistics.
- Manchester United remains unbeaten in 16 Premier League matches against Aston Villa (W12 D4).
- Aston Villa lost 13 of their last 15 Premier League away games to Manchester United at Old Trafford (W1 D1).
- In the history of the Premier League, the only player who has been directly involved in more goals than Bruno Fernandes (33 – 19 goals, 14 assists) in his first 30 appearances in the league is Andrew Cole (37 – 28 goals, 9 assists).
- Anthony Martial scored every day of the week for Manchester United in the Premier League, becoming the fifth player after Ryan Giggs, Andrew Cole, David Beckham and Wayne Rooney.
- Only Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane (10) has scored more Premier League goals this season than Jack Grealish (7), while the last Aston Villa player to score more than seven Premier League goals in one season was Ashley Young in 2010/11 (10).
- Since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first Premier League game for Manchester United in December 2018, the Red Devils have admitted (27) and scored (21) the most penalty kicks in the Premier League.
What’s the next step?
Manchester United hosts local rivals Manchester City in the Carabao Cup semifinal on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), with Manchester City next Saturday 9. January (20:00 GMT), Watford in the FA Cup. The next Premier League game will take place on Tuesday the 12th. January (20:15 CET), in Burnley.
Aston Villa will host Liverpool in the FA Cup next Friday (19:45 GMT), before taking over Premier League rivals Aston Villa on Wednesday 13. January (20:15 GMT) in Tottenham Hotspur for the Premier League game.
The player of the game
Bruno FernandezBruno Fernandez
Aston Villa
- Team number 10Player nameRealist
- Team number26Player nameMartinez
- Team number 2PlaynameCash
- Team number 7 Player nameMcGin
- Team number 15Player names Goal
- Team number 21Name of fighterEl Ghazi
- Team number4Player nameCons
- Team number5Player nameMinutes
- Team number6 Player nameDouglas Louis
- Team number 11Player nameWatkins
- Team number18Name of the intended player
- Team number39PlaynameDavis
- Team number41Player nameRamsey
Lines
Human LLC
- 1st Gea
- 29From Bissaka
- 3BaillyBay at 55 minutes
- 5MaguireBocking is 49 miles away.
- 23ShowBowWie in 89 min.
- 39McTominayReplacement byMatimat 65’minBoaking for 90min.
- 17FredSubstituted by Tuanzebat 90+4 minutes
- 10Rashford
- 18Bruno FernandesReplaced by Jamesin 87’minutes
- 6Pogba
- 9Martial
Replaces
- 8Math.
- 11Green tree
- 14Lingard
- 21 James
- 26Henderson.
- 27Count
- 31Matic
- 34 Van de Beek
- 38 Tuanzebe
Aston Villa
- 26 Martinez
- 2Cash Counter
- 4cons
- 5Mingen
- 18Target
- 6Douglas Louis
- 7McGinn
- 15TraoréReplacement forRamseyat 79’minutes
- 10Realist
- 21El GhaziReplaced by Davisin 84’minutes
- 11 Watkins
Replaces
- 1Heaton
- 3Taylor
- 14Hurigan
- 19Nakamba
- 24 Hilbert
- 27El Muhammadry
- 30 Reason
- 39Davis.
- 41Ramsey
Real-time text
- The game is over: Manchester United 2, Aston Villa 1.
- End of the second half, Manchester United 2, Aston Villa 1.
- Attempt blocked. Keinan Davis’ (Aston Villa) shot from the left is blocked by the center of the area.
- Attempt blocked. Aston Villa’s Keinan Davis’ header from the middle of the area was blocked. Prepared by Ollie Watkins with a cross.
- Offside, Manchester United. Paul Pogba plays a forward pass, but Marcus Rashford is sidelined by the referee.
- Substitution, Manchester United. Axel Tuanzebe replaces Fred.
- Corner, Aston Villa. Prepared by David de Gea.
- Attempted rescue. Matthew Cash (Aston Villa)’s right-handed shot from the right is kept in the bottom left corner of the box. Sponsored by Jack Grealish.
- Corner, Aston Villa. Introduced by Daniel James.
- Corner, Aston Villa. Presented by Eric Bailey.
- Paul Pogba (Manchester United) is punished after he has committed an offence.
- Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa) hits a free kick in half of the opponent.
- Nemanja Matic (Manchester United) has been booked for an offence.
- Nemanja Matic (Manchester United) will be punished after committing an offence.
- Jack Grealish (Aston Villa) hits a free kick in the opponent’s half.
- Luke Shaw (Manchester United) has been booked for an offense.
- Luke Shaw (Manchester United) is punished after committing an offence.
- Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa) hits a free kick in half of the opponent.
- Daniel James (Manchester United) hits a free kick on the left wing.
- Matthew Cash (Aston Villa) will be punished after committing an offence.
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