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Manchester United on a high as Ander Herrera ensures defeat of Aston Villa Manchester United on a high as Ander Herrera ensures defeat of Aston Villa
(about 1 hour later)
Confidence is a wonderful thing and it is coursing through Manchester United at the moment after the three solid results in March that removed any doubts about their ability to rejoin the Champions League elite. Confidence is a wonderful thing and it is coursing through Manchester United after the three solid results in March that removed the doubts about their ability to rejoin the Champions League elite.
This fifth league win in a row took them above Manchester City in the table for the first time this season, and with Arsenal moving up to second place it is Manuel Pellegrini and his players who are under pressure to finish the campaign on a high. City have that tricky away fixture at Selhurst Park on Monday evening, where Crystal Palace have proved a match for top four teams in the past, and next weekend visit Old Trafford for the Manchester derby. This fifth league win in a row took them above Manchester City in the table for the first time this season, and with Arsenal moving up to second it is Manuel Pellegrini and his players who are under pressure to finish the campaign on a high. City have that tricky away fixture against Crystal Palace on Monday evening, and next weekend visit Old Trafford. They are unlikely to drop out of the top four altogether now that Liverpool’s recovery appears to have stalled but, if United and Arsenal keep up their present form, City could suddenly be looking at finishing third or fourth in what for months seemed a two-horse race.
Related: Arsenal 4-1 Liverpool | Premier League match report “Next week we will be playing for a place higher in the table,” Louis van Gaal said. “It will be a different type of game, because I don’t think City will set out as defensively as Aston Villa, but the most important thing is to win. We played well to win against Tottenham and Liverpool, but against City I don’t mind if we play ugly.”
City are unlikely to drop out of the top four altogether now that Liverpool’s recovery appears to have stalled, but if United and Arsenal keep up their present form they could suddenly be looking at finishing third or fourth in what for months seemed a two horse race. In front of what commentators used to call a shirt-sleeved crowd, United greeted the warm spring sunshine with something of their old brio.
In front of what commentators used to call a shirt-sleeved crowd, United greeted the warm spring sunshine with something of their old brio. There was no hesitant sideways passing, no need for spectators to exhort Louis van Gaal’s players to go on the attack. There was no hesitant sideways passing, no need for spectators to exhort Van Gaal’s players to attack. With a settled, successful side at last – Chris Smalling was the only absentee from the last starting line-up as he has a virus – the home side tore into their opponents as of old. Wayne Rooney could have had a penalty as early as the fourth minute when Ciaran Clark was lucky to get away with pulling him down by the shirt collar, then Juan Mata saw a shot blocked after a delightful run and cross from the left by Ashley Young. Marcos Rojo brought a fingertip save from Brad Guzan with a 25-yard screamer, before Rooney tried an ambitious overhead volley from Antonio Valencia’s right-wing cross and narrowly failed to connect.
With a settled, successful side at last - Chris Smalling was the only absentee from the last starting line-up and he has a virus - the home side tore into their opponents as of old. Wayne Rooney could have had a penalty as early as the fourth minute when Ciaran Clark was lucky to get away with pulling him down by the shirt collar, then Juan Mata saw a shot blocked after a delightful run and cross from the left by Ashley Young. Mata had a go at dribbling in from the left before Marcos Rojo brought a fingertip save from Brad Guzan with a 25 yard screamer, before Rooney tried an ambitious overhead volley from Antonio Valencia’s right wing cross and narrowly failed to connect. With the crowd murmuring appreciation for neat work in defence from the likes of Valencia or Michael Carrick, and breaking into enthusiastic applause when Young then Daley Blind broke forward to test Guzan, all that was missing was a goal. United might have felt a little sheepish at turning round level, such had been their first-half dominance, but just when Aston Villa were beginning to feel they might reach the interval without damage the deadlock was broken.
With the crowd murmuring its appreciation when for neat work in defence from the likes of Valencia or Daley Blind, and breaking into enthusiastic applause when Young then Blind broke forward to test Guzan, all that was missing was a goal. United might have felt a little sheepish at turning round level, such had been their first half dominance, but just when Aston Villa were beginning to feel they might reach the interval without damage the deadlock was broken by Ander Herrera. Marouane Fellaini and Young started the move on the left, the latter making smart use of Blind’s overlapping run, and when the full-back produced a pull-back rather than a cross Ander Herrera controlled the ball neatly with his right foot before finding Guzan’s bottom corner with his left.
Marouane Fellaini and Young started the move on the left, the latter making smart use of Blind’s overlapping run, and when the full back produced a pull-back rather than a cross Herrera controlled the ball neatly with his right foot before finding Guzan’s bottom corner with his left. Villa needed to find a way of answering back in the second half, if only to show something has changed under Tim Sherwood and that meekly accepting their fate is now a thing of the past. All they had managed in the first 45 minutes was a commendable defensive effort and a couple of isolated charges forward by Christian Benteke and Gabriel Agbonlahor. They improved on that within minutes of the restart, with Benteke running at the United defence and finding Andreas Weimann in support at his shoulder, but the Belgian was perhaps not expecting a return pass and when it came he could only stab over the bar.
Villa needed to find a way of answering back in the second half, if only to show that something has changed under Tim Sherwood and meekly accepting their fate is now a thing of the past. All they had managed in the first 45 minutes was a commendable defensive effort and a couple of isolated charges forward by Christian Benteke and Gabriel Agbonlahor. Young immediately showed more threat at the other end, cutting in from the left and sending a curling shot just the wrong side of Guzan’s upright. It seemed only a matter of time before United increased their lead, and but for Guzan clawing away a close range header from Fellaini they would have done so after an hour. United were working hard to keep Villa pressed back, the visitors were finding it difficult to break out of their own half, and with 20 minutes remaining Van Gaal sent on Ángel Di María. Then Radamel Falcao. Sherwood was not about to take that lying down so he sent on Joe Cole.
They improved on that within minutes of the restart, with Benteke running at the United defence and finding Andreas Weiman in support at his shoulder, but the Belgian was perhaps not expecting a return pass and when it came he could only stab a shot over the bar.
Relishing playing against his old club, Young immediately showed more threat at the other end, cutting in from the left and sending a curling shot just the wrong side of Guzan’s upright. It seemed only a matter of time before United increased their lead, and but for Guzan clawing away a close range header from Fellaini they would have done so after an hour.
United were working hard to keep Villa pressed back, the visitors were finding it difficult to break out of their own half, and with 20 minutes remaining, just after Rooney had missed with a shot from the edge of the area, Van Gaal sent Angel di Maria on. Then Radamel Falcao. Sherwood was not about to take that lying down so he sent on Joe Cole.
Related: Everton 1-0 Southampton | Premier League match reportRelated: Everton 1-0 Southampton | Premier League match report
Di Maria provided the necessary inspiration, beating Jores Okore to cross from the left for Rooney to put United two up with a splendid piece of improvisation, though Cole made a difference too. Even though his corner kick 10 minutes from time was woeful, barely deserving to beat the first defender, it nevertheless eluded all the United shirts in the area and allowed Benteke to sweep that ball past a startled David de Gea. Di María provided the necessary inspiration, beating Jores Okore to cross from the left for Rooney to put United two up with a splendid piece of control and improvisation – though Cole made a difference too. Even though his corner kick 10 minutes from time was woeful, barely deserving to beat the first defender, it nevertheless eluded every United shirt and allowed Benteke to sweep the ball past a startled David de Gea. Startled because up to that point Villa had not registered a single shot on target, nor had the goalkeeper been required to make a save. United held on without too much difficulty, especially after Rooney and Mata helped Herrera add a stylish third goal in stoppage time, though Villa gave them more to worry about in the last 10 minutes than the previous 80.
Startled because up to that point Villa had not registered a single shot on target, nor had the goalkeeper been required to make a save. United held on without too much difficulty, though Villa gave them more to worry about in the last 10 minutes than the previous 80. It was too little too late, and Villa need to make sure that does not become the story of their season. QPR’s win against West Brom reduces Sherwood’s margin for error, though the Villa manager remains bullish for the visit of the London club in midweek. “Our injury list is horrendous,” Sherwood said. “But we showed spirit to compete today and we will be looking to be six points clear of QPR again by Tuesday night.”
It was too little too late, especially after Rooney and Mata helped Herrera add a stylish third goal in stoppage time. Villa need to make sure that does not become the story of their season. Related: Arsenal 4-1 Liverpool | Premier League match report