Manchester United moved level on points with Premier League leaders Liverpool as a Bruno Fernandes penalty saw off stubborn Aston Villa.
Fernandes drilled his 11th league goal this season – and his fifth from the spot – into the bottom corner to punish Douglas Luiz’s clip on Paul Pogba and hand United an eighth win in 10 games.
Bertrand Traore’s calm finish underneath David de Gea had deservedly drawn Villa level, cancelling out Anthony Martial’s stooping first-half header for the hosts.
But Fernandes’ penalty extended United’s hold over Villa – they have now won 32 and lost just one of the past 44 league meetings between the sides – and leaves Liverpool top only by virtue of goal difference.
Villa might consider themselves unfortunate not to have left Old Trafford with at least a point from a thoroughly entertaining game but they also needed several fine saves from Emiliano Martinez to keep them in it.
After Fernandes’ spot-kick put United back in front, Martinez superbly tipped a stinging 25-yarder from the Portuguese on to the crossbar as well as denying Martial a second.
Martinez’s counterpart David de Gea was just as busy, with a late save from Matty Cash’s long-range strike preserving the points, not long after Tyrone Mings had headed wide a glorious chance to level.
More to follow.
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Manchester United
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Squad number21Player nameJames -
Squad number31Player nameMatic -
Squad number38Player nameTuanzebe
Aston Villa
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Squad number26Player nameMartínez
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Squad number2Player nameCash
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Squad number4Player nameKonsa
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Squad number5Player nameMings
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Squad number18Player nameTargett
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Squad number6Player nameDouglas Luiz
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Squad number7Player nameMcGinn
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Squad number15Player nameTraoré
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Squad number10Player nameGrealish
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Squad number21Player nameEl Ghazi
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Squad number11Player nameWatkins
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Squad number39Player nameDavis
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Squad number41Player nameRamsey
Line-ups
Man Utd
- 1de Gea
- 29Wan-Bissaka
- 3BaillyBooked at 55mins
- 5MaguireBooked at 49mins
- 23ShawBooked at 89mins
- 17FredSubstituted forTuanzebeat 90+4′minutes
- 39McTominaySubstituted forMaticat 65′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 6Pogba
- 18Bruno FernandesSubstituted forJamesat 87′minutes
- 9Martial
- 10Rashford
Substitutes
- 8Mata
- 11Greenwood
- 14Lingard
- 21James
- 26Henderson
- 27Telles
- 31Matic
- 34van de Beek
- 38Tuanzebe
Aston Villa
- 26Martínez
- 2Cash
- 4Konsa
- 5Mings
- 18Targett
- 6Douglas Luiz
- 7McGinn
- 15TraoréSubstituted forRamseyat 79′minutes
- 10Grealish
- 21El GhaziSubstituted forDavisat 84′minutes
- 11Watkins
Substitutes
- 1Heaton
- 3Taylor
- 14Hourihane
- 19Nakamba
- 24Guilbert
- 27El Mohamady
- 30Hause
- 39Davis
- 41Ramsey
Live Text
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Match ends, Manchester United 2, Aston Villa 1.
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Second Half ends, Manchester United 2, Aston Villa 1.
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Attempt blocked. Keinan Davis (Aston Villa) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Attempt blocked. Keinan Davis (Aston Villa) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ollie Watkins with a cross.
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Offside, Manchester United. Paul Pogba tries a through ball, but Marcus Rashford is caught offside.
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Substitution, Manchester United. Axel Tuanzebe replaces Fred.
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Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by David de Gea.
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Attempt saved. Matthew Cash (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jack Grealish.
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Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Daniel James.
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Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Eric Bailly.
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Foul by Paul Pogba (Manchester United).
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Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Nemanja Matic (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Nemanja Matic (Manchester United).
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Jack Grealish (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Luke Shaw (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Luke Shaw (Manchester United).
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Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Daniel James (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Matthew Cash (Aston Villa).
