Manchester United continued their winning streak in another unerring attacking display against struggling Aston Villa, but only after a contentious penalty unlocked the door at Villa Park.
The match ended ended 0-3 in favour of Man United.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side continued their impressive recent run, extending their unbeaten streak to 17 games in all competitions, to close within a point of fourth-placed Leicester.
https://youtu.be/Px5YQJ0e4ek
Bruno Fernandes converted his seventh Premier League goal of the season from the spot to rouse United from their slumber before Mason Greenwood’s thunderbolt put them in control on the stroke of half-time.
While Paul Pogba ended the game as a contest with his first goal since April 2019 early in the second half.
Aston Villa looked sharp early on in the game as the visitors got the first glimpse of action when Trezeguet struck the post in the opening quarter but the game turned on its head after Ezri Konsa was harshly adjudged by referee Jon Moss to have fouled Bruno Fernandes.
Stats and facts from the match
- Manchester United are the first side in Premier League history to win four consecutive games by a margin of 3+ goals, with the last team to do so in the English top-flight being Liverpool in October 1987.
- United are the first team to beat an opponent on every day of the week in the Premier League, with this match against Aston Villa making it the sixth fixture to be played on all seven days of the week in the competition.
- Aston Villa have conceded 65 goals in the Premier League this season; the same number they had after 34 games when they were last relegated in 2015-16 and finished 20th.
- Manchester United are unbeaten in their past 21 Premier League away games against Aston Villa (W14 D7) – the longest unbeaten away run one team has had against another in English top-flight history.
- Bruno Fernandes has been directly involved in 13 goals in his first 10 Premier League games for Manchester United (seven goals, six assists); the joint-most of any player in their first 10 appearances in the competition, along with Mick Quinn (13).
- Mason Greenwood is only the second teenager to score in three consecutive Premier League appearances for Manchester United (18y 282d), following on from Wayne Rooney back in February 2005 (19y 125d).
- Greenwood is the fourth player aged 18 or younger to score in three consecutive Premier League appearances, after Danny Cadamarteri (1997), Michael Owen (1997 & 1998) and Francis Jeffers (1999).
- United have won 13 penalties in the Premier League this season; no team have ever won more in a single campaign in the competition (also Leicester in 2015-16 and Crystal Palace in 2004-05).
- United named the same starting XI in four consecutive Premier League games for the first time since November 2006.
VAR took the spotlight in Tottenham’s draw at Bournemouth
Referees, video assistant referees (VARs) and technology are all in trouble as continued controversial calls question the rationale behind decision-making during Premier League games.
Manchester United won a dubious penalty during their match against Aston Villa but Tottenham Hotspur was denied a penalty that could have won them the game against Bournemouth as Jose Mourinho could not believe his eyes.
Jose Mourinho’s unhappiness with Michael Oliver continued after the VAR official chose not to award Tottenham a penalty, making it twice in a week they have been on the receiving end of harsh decisions. It was the same referee who ruled out Lucas Moura’s goal at Sheffield a week ago.
Harry Kane looked to be clearly pushed in the back by Josh King in the fourth minute but referee Paul Tierney waved away the strong appeals and VAR Oliver opted not to change the decision.
https://youtu.be/2hS1rPr1WI8
Tottenham’s boss, Jose Mourinho, was left fuming after the match and had a lot to say about his side’s misfortunes over the past week. He said, “The game had the most important moment – you know when, you know who – and I don’t want to say anything more in relation to that because everyone knows and I don’t need to say much more. Everybody knows,” Mourinho says after the game.
“The same referee that was the VAR against Sheffield United. In the world, everybody knows that is a penalty. And I say everybody, I mean everybody. It’s not just my opinion, everyone in the world, everybody knows that is a penalty. And when I say everybody, I say everybody, everybody.
“I am not saying that Harry Kane scores 100 per cent of his penalties, but it is very very high. Normally at minute five we would be winning 1-0 against a team in trouble, I think the game would be completely different.
“Like Sheffield, the man of the match was not one of the players. But at Sheffield I could blame myself and the players, today I could not do that.”
Danny Ings scores yet again but Everton ma naged to draw
In-form striker Danny Ings scored his 19th goal of the campaign but the saints could not manage to see out the game as Everton fought back to draw the game in a mid-table clash.
The Saints were in the ascendancy from the first whistle and James Ward-Prowse missed a golden opportunity from the penalty spot after he was fouled by Andre Gomes.
Ings then opened the scoring with a clever finish after latching on to a misplaced shot from Stuart Armstrong – who had earlier had a goal disallowed for offside.
Richarlison equalised for the hosts against the run of play from Lucas Digne’s wonderful 40-yard cross-field ball.
The Saints could have gone down to 10 men when Jan Bednarek fouled Richarlison on the edge of the area but he stayed on the pitch after a video assistant referee consultation.
Everton and Southampton – who both had spells in the relegation zone before Christmas – remain 11th and 12th respectively, safe from relegation but unlikely to threaten the European places.
Liverpool who have been crowned champions of the Premier League remained top of the league after the completion of Matchday 34. City clings on to the second spot but Leicester have moved down to fourth despite being second and third respectively at some point.
The remaining slots for Europe seem keenly contested still and look to go down the wire.
Dubious penalty call indeed.. apart from that, it was a good game in general.