Aston Villa vs Man United ends in a late win for the visitors as Hojlund and McTominay score
Aston Villa vs Man United: An Overview
Aston Villa hosted Manchester United at Villa Park in the Premier League on Sunday, February 10.
The hosts entered this contest on the back of a mixed run of form. They won just once in their last five games across competitions. During that phase, they scored seven goals and conceded six as Unai Emery’s men looked to bring their season back on track. They crashed out of the FA Cup with a 3-1 defeat at home against Chelsea in their last game. Villa were looking to turn their fortunes around with a good performance.
United, on the other hand, were in much better shape heading into this fixture. They were unbeaten in their last five games, with four wins and one draw. In that time, they scored an impressive 15 goals and conceded seven. Their last outing was a straightforward 3-0 win at Old Trafford against West Ham United. Erik ten Hag and his men were eager to close the gap to the top four and were looking for a positive result in this game.
United were the slight favourites heading into this contest considering their recent form.
Aston Villa vs Man United: Match Report & Analysis
Manchester United secured an all-important 2-1 win over Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday, February 11.
Villa made a good start to the game and looked to keep possession of the ball for long spells to draw Manchester United onto them. However, the visitors had other plans as they sat back and looked to hit on the counter. Rasmus Hojlund game them the perfect start as he fired the Red Devils 1-0 up after 17 minutes following an assist by Harry Maguire.
United had 42% of the ball in the first period and attempted seven shots, but hit the target just once for Hojlund’s goal. Villa had 10 attempts with three on target but neither side managed to alter the scoreline as the visitors led 1-0 at the break.
Aston Villa made a better start to the second half as they desperately looked for a way back into the contest. Douglas Luiz then handed them a lifeline as he scored in the 67th minute to make it 1-1. The hosts had more of the ball in the second half as well but missed way too many chances. They were eventually punished for their tardiness.
Diogo Dalot provided the perfect cross into the box and Scott McTominay rose highest to nod it home after 86 minutes. Ten Hag then made a couple of defensive changes at the death as Manchester United did well to hold onto their lead and secure the win.
On that note, let’s take a look at the top performers from the game.
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Aston Villa vs Man United: Top Performers
Andre Onana – Man United (8.5/10)
Having found it difficult to fully settle into life as a Manchester United player, Andre Onana is finally beginning to show his true talents. The Cameroonian custodian had one of his best games as a Red Devil against Aston Villa and was one of the biggest reasons they walked away with three points.
Onana made a total of eight saves throughout the game. Three of those were in the first half while five came in the second half as he narrowly missed out on a clean sheet. He also distributed the ball with 68% accuracy.
Bruno Fernandes – Man United (8/10)
The Manchester United skipper had a great game with the ball at his feet. Bruno Fernandes passed the ball with 89% accuracy, including a game-high eight key passes, six crosses and three long balls. He also won three duels, making two tackles, two clearances and two blocks.
Despite getting into good positions, Fernandes seemed to consciously refrain from attempting shots as he ended the game with zero attempts overall. However, his impact from midfield made all the difference for his team.
Douglas Luiz – Aston Villa (7.5/10)
The Brazilian midfielder had a good game and even grabbed the equalizer for his team in the second half. He passed the ball with 94% accuracy, including one key pass and three long balls. He also won five duels, making two tackles, one clearance and one interception.
Luiz completed one dribble and attempted three shots, with two of those on target. He was by far one of Villa’s best players during this game.
Aston Villa vs Man United: Match Point
It is not often that teams become the architects of their own demise but this game was one such occasions. Aston Villa created several chances but simply lacked the finishing touches that could have seen them draw or even win this game.
United, on the other hand, did not create with extraordinary frequency but got the basics right and executed them to perfection to seal the win.
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