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MANCHESTER, England: Manchester United edged closer to Premier League pole position after a 2-1 home win over Aston Villa on Friday (January 1) put them tied on points and games played with the champion and leader Liverpool.
United are behind their traditional rivals in goal difference with both teams on 33 points from 16 games. Liverpool will travel to Southampton on Monday.
United extended their unbeaten streak in the league to 10 games when Bruno Fernandes capped another excellent individual performance with a penalty after Bertrand Traore canceled Anthony Martial’s opener for the hosts.
The hosts had the upper hand in the first half and Martial forced an acrobatic save from Emiliano Martínez before burying a magnificent dive header on Villa’s goalkeeper after a cross from Aaron-Wan Bissaka in the 40th minute.
The visitors closed in through Ollie Watkins before Traore reached the end of a powerful Jack Grealish pass at the far post and beat United goalkeeper David De Gea with a deft shot from close range in the 58th minute.
But Villa’s joy was short-lived when Fernandes shot his penalty in the lower right corner three minutes later after Paul Pogba fell under a tackle from Douglas Luiz, with the penalty given after a VAR control.
(Written by Zoran Milosavljevic; Edited by Pritha Sarkar)
