Man United boost UCL hopes with win over Aston Villa

Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko struck in the final 20 minutes to give Manchester United a precious win over Aston Villa in the battle for Champions League qualification.

A game low on quality before the interval erupted after it, with United skipper Bruno Fernandes playing a pivotal role.

After Villa keeper Emi Martinez had turned away a goal-bound Bryan Mbeumo effort, Fernandes whipped in a textbook near-post corner, which Casemiro flicked over Martinez and into the net off the far upright.

On his first Premier League start in 14 months, Ross Barkley levelled for the visitors with a snap shot 11 minutes later.

However, United were not to be denied.

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Fernandes supplied a superb through ball to send Cunha racing clear of the Villa defence and the Brazil forward found the far corner with a precise low strike.

Substitute Sesko then took his personal tally to eight goals in 10 games as his deflected effort on the turn looped past Martinez to inflict Villa’s third straight league defeat.

The result keeps Michael Carrick’s side in third and provides the United interim boss with a sixth successive home win, a record only bettered by Sven Goran Eriksson, Carlo Ancelotti and Manuel Pellegrini at the start of their respective Premier League reigns.

Villa have now won just three of their past 12 league matches, and their 12-point return from that run leaves them sweating on qualification for Europe’s elite competition next season.

A couple of years ago, Casemiro’s move to United seemed to be adding a sad postscript to a stellar career for a man who has won five Champions League trophies.

When the veteran Brazilian’s number 18 went up to signal his exit as the game entered stoppage time, Old Trafford stood to applaud.

Before that, the Stretford End had bellowed “‘one more year”, demanding an extension to a contract that will expire on 30 June and which it has already been decided, and announced, will not be renewed.

After he leapt highest at the near post to turn home Fernandes’ corner, Casemiro seemed to spend an age pointing to the crest on his shirt, and then to the fans saluting him, as if to say he is one of them.

It was his sixth headed goal of this league campaign. No one else has scored more than four.

That alone would give United’s recruitment specialists a concern about how to replace him.

But the 34-year-old offers so much more with his defensive nous.

As Villa were pressing for a second equaliser, he diffused danger by striding across United’s box, calmly winning the ball and then working it out to a team-mate in space.

That moment may not come up in any statistical analysis. But in terms of United securing this victory, it was priceless.

“One more year,” the home fans sang again as Casemiro made his way down the tunnel. It is easy to understand why they want it to happen.

The return of captain John McGinn to the visitors’ starting XI was clearly welcome news for boss Unai Emery, although it was not entirely clear what role the Scot would play in the pre-planned tactic of sending long balls downfield for Ollie Watkins to chase.

It was an idea that might have had some merit if Watkins had got involved in foot races with Harry Maguire.

As it was, Leny Yoro had more than enough pace to neutralise the England striker, and Villa did not get forward in enough numbers to provide support.

Watkins’ one shot before the break was also shut down by Yoro, who came sliding across to tackle.

It was symptomatic of the muddle Villa have got themselves into in recent weeks.

So too the moment at the end, where three visiting players had an opportunity to score around the six-yard area and somehow failed, even though United only had one defender and goalkeeper Senne Lammens in their way.

But after losing out on a Champions League place thanks to a final-day defeat at Old Trafford last season, there has to be a fear that, despite the failures of others, they could miss out again this term.

Manchester United are next in action in the Premier League at Bournemouth on Friday, 20 March (20:00 GMT kick-off).

Aston Villa are at home in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 tie with Lille on Thursday, 19 March (20:00), then host West Ham in the league on Sunday, 22 March (14:15).

(BBC)