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3 hours ago
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On 71 minutes came a classic Manchester United riposte, via Matheus Cunha, to Ross Barkley’s equaliser moments before. From around halfway, the peerless Bruno Fernandes glanced up and steered the ball through an inside left channel for Cunha. United’s No 10 galloped forward and as Emiliano Martínez loomed large the Brazilian’s curled finish was a peach that kissed the far right of the net, Cunha stepping forward before the Stretford End to soak up the ecstatic adoration.
Fernandes’ assist was his second of the contest and 16th in total in the Premier League: a record for United, this term’s competition high, and a latest argument for him winning the player of the season awards.
Next came Benjamin Sesko’s 81st-minute clincher. This time, a Cunha ball in from the left was deflected into the No 30’s orbit and, after swivelling, he bundled past Martínez, the striker having entered only six minutes before.
Cunha’s goal had pulled United ahead after Barkley’s intervention. This came when the ball arrived at Aston Villa’s No 6 near goal, his rocket of a left foot beat Senne Lammens to the keeper’s right, and zipped past Amadou Onana, who was offside.
The video assistant referee decided – correctly – that he was not in Lammens’s line of vision and so Villa believed they had a point at least in the Champions League qualification race.
But then came Cunha’s and Sesko’s finishes, which complimented Casemiro’s 53rd-minute headed opener.
So, after this win United may fancy hunting down Manchester City, whose form is faltering in second place.
The entertaining second period followed a stuttering start to proceedings in which a misplaced Harry Maguire pass, a floated Barkley diagonal, a Casemiro foul on Lucas Digne and Morgan Rodgers wasting the subsequent free-kick, all featured.
With a double-twist in midfield that created space Bryan Mbeumo raised the quality and ignited a raid that moved left through Fernandes whose cross posed a question the visiting rearguard answered with a clearance.
The next ball over from the same flank came from Cunha: Amad Diallo flung himself at this, Tyrone Mings came together with him, home enthusiasts howled for a penalty, and Anthony Taylor was nonplussed.
United took charge. A crashing – and fair – Casemiro tackle dispossessed Onana and Villa were spun. Moments later Casemiro ran along the right, claimed a corner, Fernandes delivered, Maguire rose and nodded to Diallo who headed for the right of Martínez but Villa’s No 1 saved low.
Diallo for Sesko was one of two Michael Carrick changes as Noussair Mazraoui made way, too, for Diogo Dalot after the loss at Newcastle.
Unai Emery could start John McGinn for the first time since hurting a knee against Everton on 18 January, with Mings and Barkley his other two changes from the midweek Europa League win over Lille.
Still Villa were sluggish and lacked imagination, unlike Casemiro whose latest contribution was to dangle the ball into the area, Villa’s defence scurrying to clear.
Next a superb Fernandes dummy sent Emiliano Buendía into a differing postcode, he fed Casemiro, and his shot, from a right-channel, was blocked by Ezri Konsa.
Emery, as his animated way, was a Marcel Marceau of disgust at his charges allowing all of this to occur but the Spaniard’s touchline mime became positive when Ollie Watkins threatened along Villa’s right. But Maguire, who loves a toe-to-toe, outmuscled the No 9.
More encouragement for the visitors came when Watkins swooped left in United’s area but an amateurish touch allowed Leny Yoro to lunge and stymie the attempt.
At the interval Carrick could be the happier of the managers but his men lacked sharpness in front of goal.
An example of this came seconds into the restart as Diallo blasted over when in 0n goal, to the left of Martínez’s posts.
But now Casemiro showed how to do it – at a corner from the right. Fernandes curled this in as skillfully as the veteran hopped forward and sent a skimming, glancing header beyond a flailing Martínez in and off the far post for his seventh league goal of the season.
This began a breathless 28 minutes containing the goals of Barkley, Cunha and Sesko and at the final whistle United had strengthened their hold on third place.
