United deny Villa place in Europe

Aston Villa 0 Manchester United 2

Aston Villa missed out on a place in the UEFA Cup as nine-man Manchester United finally emerged from their Premiership slumbers.

Cristiano Ronaldo set United on the road to victory with a brilliant fourth-minute opener and was again the attacking star for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men.

Clearly though, some maturity is needed to compliment his dazzling footballing skills for, after picking up one yellow card for diving, the brilliant Portuguese winger turned it into a red when he kicked the ball away after conceding a foul close to the home penalty area.

It was a similar caution to the one Darren Fletcher picked up earlier in the game and it meant Ronaldo followed the Scot to the dressing rooms as his midfield partner had already been dispatched for a late tackle on Thomas Hitzlsperger.

Ferguson looked on in stunned disbelief but once his ire at referee Rob Styles’ perceived lack of common-sense had subsided, he will congratulate his team with a job well done ahead of their FA Cup final meeting with Millwall next weekend.

For Villa boss David O’Leary though, it was an afternoon of total anti-climax.

Not even two dubiously disallowed goals late on could hide the fact that his team were comprehensively outplayed for almost the entire contest.

Just one victory away from that much-desired European spot, Villa had every reason to approach the game with confidence.

After all, United had won just one of their previous five games and shown little appetite for Premiership fare once it became clear their title crown was heading to Highbury.

Yet, in sticking with the side that started against Chelsea last Saturday, Alex Ferguson had challenged his players to produce performances worthy of a place in the final line-up to face Millwall next weekend. The response was unequivocal.

Ronaldo had already given an indication the Villa defence were going to be in for a torrid afternoon when he strode purposefully onto Ulises de la Cruz’s wayward header 10 yards inside the home half.

The young Portuguese winger was offered far too much room and was not about to turn down the open invitation to drive at the Villa box. Once there, he unleashed a stunning, low curling shot that deceived Thomas Sorensen and beat him by the near post.

In fairness to the Danish keeper, it was an exceptional effort and the mere fact they knew Ronaldo was capable of producing it ensured the Villa defence offered maximum respect – possibly too much – for the remainder of the half.

O’Leary’s side needed time to recover from such an early setback. Unfortunately, they were not afforded any as United quickly added a second.

In a different way, van Nistelrooy’s effort was as direct as the visitors’ opener as Paul Scholes delivered the 50-yard pass into the Villa box that rookie defender Liam Ridgewell failed to cut out.

Van Nistelrooy might have opted to finish first time, instead, he calmly rounded Sorensen before rolling the ball over the line.

Facing such a substantially more difficult task than the one in front of them at the start of the game, Villa appeared to get stuck in two minds.

On one hand, they needed to press forward, on the other, they had to keep United out. In their indecision they left vacant virtually 30 yards either side of the halfway line which United players cantered into with regular ease.

Ronaldo was the major threat, switching wings with no lessening of pace or control. It took a succession of brave Villa blocks to deny him as the home side were seemingly incapable of tackling him.

Even the booking the flying teenager picked up for diving seemed harsh as Jlloyd Samuel looked as though he made contact just outside the home box, a decision which was eventually to prove costly.

In a game lacking a serious foul, Ronaldo’s caution was one of nine, including the two reds, made by referee Rob Styles, including a levelling up of the diving count when Juan Pablo Angel collapsed in the area under pressure from Wes Brown.

With United’s minds beginning to focus on Cardiff, Villa seized the initiative and Angel had already screwed one shot wide when substitute Marcus Allback intelligently allowed Samuel’s cross to run onto Gareth Barry, whose first-time shot was blocked with his legs by Tim Howard.

The visitors were still capable of the odd counter, and Giggs should have tapped home from close range instead of scooping a low van Nistelrooy cross over the bar, but it was Villa who had all the attacking momentum, even if chances were few.

Indeed, the loudest cheers from the home support were for events at Anfield, including a mythical second Liverpool goal 15 minutes from time.

They were still celebrating that non-existent effort when Fletcher was dismissed, followed not long afterwards by Ronaldo as a strange season for United ended with only nine men.