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Manchester United tied on points with Premier League leaders Liverpool when Bruno Fernandes’ penalty kicked off 2021 with victory against Aston Villa.
An impressive seven-win streak in nine top flight matches saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team finish New Year’s Day in second place, their highest position at the turn of the year since Alex Ferguson retired as champion in 2012. -13.
Great United were in the stands on Friday as the current crop joins rivals Liverpool with 33 points, with Fernandes scoring from the spot shortly after Bertrand Traore nullified Anthony Martial’s effort to secure a 2-1 win against Town.
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The fit teams played an entertaining encounter on New Year’s Day at an empty Old Trafford, where a good goalkeeper from David De Gea and Emiliano Martínez kept the score from being much higher.
United overcame the first half and went into halftime with a well-earned lead when Martial, instead of the suspended Edinson Cavani, led an Aaron Wan-Bissaka cross home after Tyrone Mings failed to punt.
But Dean Smith’s Villa has been wildly impressive this season and translated the pressure from the start of the second half into a goal, with Traore scoring after United were caught sleeping after a swiftly launched free kick.
However, the score was not level for long as Fernandes converted from the spot after Douglas Luiz was found guilty of knocking down Paul Pogba in the area.
Play ranged from end to end for the remainder of the game, with Eric Bailly producing a key block to prevent substitute Keinan Davis from leveling in injury time.
33 – Tonight was Bruno Fernandes’ 30th appearance in the Premier League, with his penalty the 33rd goal in which he was directly involved (19 goals, 14 assists). The only player in Premier League history to have scored the most goals in his first 30 games is Andrew Cole (37). Talisman. pic.twitter.com/sa5DSOQoW5
– OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 1, 2021
Reflecting on the victory, the United manager told Sky Sports: “It is early in the season and we shouldn’t get carried away with three points,” Solskjaer said.
“We have improved, we are improving and I think the league and the season are going to be very close.
“There will be different and difficult games, strange results, we just have to keep working and improving as a team. We have done that since Project Restart started.”
Villa’s boss Dean Smith said he initially thought it was right for the penalty to be awarded, but changed his mind after seeing the incident and thought Oliver should have seen a replay as well.
“They have what I thought was a penalty at the time, I thought Douglas had adjusted too much with a throw-in, but having seen it, it seems like he (Pogba) stumbles and, to me, Michael should be sent to (the monitor) because that’s what the VAR is for.
“If there is so much doubt, and I looked at it, then go there.
“It’s not a final penalty. I looked at it after the game. Pogba tripped there.
“There are margins in football and I’ve seen it again and I don’t think it’s a penalty. At that time I thought it was definitely a penalty, and that’s why I sympathize with the referee.”
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