United edge closer to top-four finish with vital Villa win
CRUCIAL: Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes celebrates.
BRUNO Fernandes scored the goal that edged Erik ten Hag and Manchester United a step closer to a top-four finish on a day when the club’s hated ownership was again firmly in the spotlight.
Furious protests took place before kick-off with supporters demanding that unpopular owners the Glazer family leave the club completely rather than press on with a possible sale to British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
That would, reportedly, see the Glazers retain a minority interest in United, a possibility against which supporters were up in arms with a demonstration in the city and outside the stadium before kickoff.
It was a mood of unrest that seemed only to inspire ten Hag’s players, however, as they all but ended Villa’s hopes of overtaking them and stealing fourth place in the table.
“We felt that the fans were behind us,” said ten Hag. “So we have to focus to be successful because that is what the fans expect.
“They have to rely on us so we will focus on that and I’m sure when we keep performances like we did today, the fans are behind us. There is a lot of energy and a strong bond between the players and the fans.”
And Fernandes is integral to that as he proved with the manner of his winning goal on 38 minutes, vindication for his costly penalty miss against Villa last season when United fell to a 1-0 defeat and visiting keeper Emiliano Martinez enjoyed celebrating at his opponent’s expense.
This time the Villa 'keeper was badly at fault as Casemiro headed a long Martinez kick back towards the Villa goal for Marcus Rashford to chase through.
The England striker’s first-time shot should have been dealt with more effectively by the Villa 'keeper who simply pushed it towards Fernandes who beat Alexandre Moreno to the loose ball and scored from a tricky angle.
Fernandes, who had been mocked by Villa support throughout the game, relished the moment, striking a pose in front of the visiting fans.
“I emphasised on the first day, he is so tough,” said ten Hag of his match winner. “A couple of weeks ago there were questions about his captaincy which was crazy.
“He is such a big leader by example, he gives so much energy to the team, besides his smartness. But also his determination, his passion, his resilience.
“You need such players if you want to win games and you want to win trophies.”
Smoke from the pre-match protests was still swirling around the stadium when United made a strong start. Martinez saved at the near post from Rashford and Marcel Sabitzer flashed a shot over before Casemiro struck the cross-bar from a Jadon Sancho pass.
But Villa, as the form book and league table suggest, packed a threat of their own as they maintained their push to qualify for a European competition of some sort.
Emiliano Buendia’s cross might have led to an equaliser but Diogo Dalot defended well to deny Ollie Watkins a tap-in before Moreno’s follow-up was well saved by David de Gea.
In an edgy finale, Villa pressed again and Watkins soon played in Jason Ramsey for a chance which was only denied by Victor Lindelof’s brilliant block.
Douglas Luiz thought he had equalised on 80 minutes when, after his initial shot was blocked by Sabitzer, his second attempt was headed off the line spectacularly by Lindelof.
And in the closing minutes, Watkins might have snuck the ball in from a goalmouth scramble, only for his effort to hit teammate Ezri Konsa on the line.
For Emery, the knowledge that three of his team’s four remaining games are against rivals pushing for European places - Spurs, Liverpool and Brighton - is some consolation.
“Playing for European places for teams like us and Brighton is not normal,” he said. “We’re playing our last match against Brighton and if we go into this game with the opportunity to get into Europe it will be fantastic.
“But if we want to have this opportunity, we have to win the matches we have before that.”
De Gea 6; Dalot 7, Lindelof 9, Shaw 6, Malacia 6; Casemiro 7, Eriksen 6 (Fred 76, 5); Fernandes 8, Sabitzer 7 (Maguire 85), Sancho 6 (Antony 76, 5); Rashford 7 (Martial 85).
Weghorst, Pellistri, Wan-Bissaka, Butland, Williams.
Martinez 5; A Young 6 (Chambers 64, 6), Konsa 6, Mings 6, Moreno 5 (Digne 75, 5); Dendoncker 5 (Traore 64, 5), Luiz 6; McGinn 5, Buendia 7 (Duran 75, 5), Ramsey 6; Watkins 7.
Carlos, Olsen, Revan, O’Reilly, K Young.
J Gillett 6
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