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Manchester United are level on points with Liverpool, separated from the champions only on goal difference. Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s side did so thanks to Bruno Fernandes’ 15th goal of the season, and United found a way to claim victory as they did against Wolves, the Portuguese’s triumph just moments after Aston Villa tied.
Liverpool can clear up the points again when they visit Southampton on Monday, but United will play their match at Burnley on Tuesday and could face Jürgen Klopp’s side on 17 January at Anfield with a chance to become the overall leader.
Everton’s loss to West Ham was yet another incentive for United to win and move further away from the fourth-ranked team, while Aston Villa knew that victory here would overtake the Merseyside club and Leicester to third place due to the gap. of superior goals.
Solskjær made a quartet of changes since the win over the Wolves, picking Alex Telles, Scott McTominay, Fred and Anthony Martial, while Dean Smith’s adjustment from the draw at Chelsea was to replace Kortney Hause with Tyrone Mings.
United came out fast from the blocks, Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes and Martial caused panic in the Villa area, each with the opportunity to test Emiliano Martínez. A rare 4-2-3-1 that had Pogba at times to the left of the attacking trident caused the home team to stroke the ball between Fred and McTominay before launching attacks, one of which allowed Martial to shoot as Fernandes jumped out of the way. .
Martinez saved well and there were two corners. United did not take advantage of these and Villa showed his teeth in a fluid counterattack that featured Jack Grealish and ended with David de Gea finishing off a shot from John McGinn. Villa followed United in having two corner kicks that amounted to nothing and when Fred broke the left from the last of these and fed Marcus Rashford, United showed how lethal they could be by turning defense into attack.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka may be a reluctant crusader, a predominant critic from the right-back, but the overlap that followed when he rolled the ball towards Pogba illustrated how adding this facet will improve his game. Pogba stopped the right-back pass and Fred took aim. The shot was too high but it served to warn Villa. What followed, however, was McGinn whizzing through midfield for the visitors, dictating the pattern, and United were under siege for a passage, Pogba making a vital header away from Ollie Watkins.
In an open contest, Solskjær’s men threatened again. First, Martínez had to run and clear with a crouched head butt; then Pogba should have tested the archer, but instead fired wide. The Frenchman was proving to be as effervescent as can be, a slippery heel to Martial that was reflected in the number 9 allowing Pogba a shot. This was blocked in a half that in its under-par quality in the final third resembled the Wolves’ encounter on Tuesday night, when Rashford’s deflected winner split to the sides.
As the interval approached, Douglas Luiz overcame a free throw that summed up the rate thus far. But United then elevated the proceedings with a magnificent move. De Gea hit the ball up the field and when he went to Pogba he juggled and fed Rashford, whose move caused Wan-Bissaka to skid down the right flank. Once again, he decided to cross and was precise: Martial headed inside, with Mings perhaps at fault for not intervening.
United started the second half in progress to tie with Liverpool’s 33 points. Here, then, it was a game management test for them.
His first act featured a sweet Fred flip that fed Martial, who released Rashford to the left. The number 10 entered from behind and his low center had to be watched carefully towards Martinez’s hands. Villa’s response had Grealish set up Watkins: the center forward’s header was tied to goal before De Gea jumped out.
Grealish was a supplier again when a diagonal pass prepared Anwar El Ghazi: his effort surpassed De Gea but not his right post. All of this pointed to how United strongly needed a second. Rashford was close to filling in when Mercury’s feet opened space but his attempt got too close to Martinez. And United’s waste was really costly when Grealish pounced on him. Villa’s captain entered the United area, rolled the ball to the right and Bertrand Traoré equalized.
However, the game turned again with the lack of Douglas Luiz on Pogba in the area. Michael Oliver conceded the penalty and Fernandes crashed into the goal to re-establish United’s dominance.
From here on there were shaky moments for the hosts as Grealish continued to probe, but Martinez had to tip a Fernandes shot to the crossbar and United closed out the match to be 10 undefeated in the competition.
