Manchester United has bolstered their bid to qualify for the Champions League with a vital 3-1 win over top-four rivals Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday.
The match saw Michael Carrick’s side take the lead through Casemiro’s second-half opener before Ross Barkley hauled Villa level. United finished strongly with Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko scoring in the closing stages to seal Carrick’s seventh win in nine games since taking over as interim boss.
United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe praised Carrick’s “excellent” work, but stopped short of committing to the former Old Trafford star on a long-term basis. Carrick is making a strong case to earn the job on a permanent basis after stabilising United after Ruben Amorim’s sacking.
Match Details
After a lethargic first half, United finally prised open the Villa defence in the 53rd minute. Bryan Mbeumo’s stinging strike was palmed away by Emiliano Martinez, earning a corner that brought the opener. Bruno Fernandes curled a corner to the near post, and Casemiro made a perfectly timed run to glance a header past Martinez.
With Casemiro likely to leave when his contract expires at the end of the season, United fans serenaded the Brazilian midfielder with chants of “one more year”. However, United lost focus and surrendered the lead in the 64th minute, with Barkley slamming a superb strike past Senne Lammens from 11 metres.
But Cunha netted in the 71st minute to ensure Carrick’s men did not pay for their stumble. Bursting onto Fernandes’s sublime pass into the Villa area, the Brazilian forward slotted a fine finish into the far corner. It was Fernandes’s 16th Premier League assist this term, moving the United captain past David Beckham’s previous club record of 15 in 1999-2000.
Player Reaction
Fernandes said he was delighted to provide two assists for his teammates to move past Beckham’s record. “I’m more proud and pleased because I did it serving my teammates. Giving joy to others is also very good,” he said. “When you play in the position I play, I’m very happy I can help them to score and be happy in that moment. It’s a huge achievement for me, but the main achievement would be in the top spot at the end of the season.”
Authorities confirmed that Sesko came off the bench to prove a point to Carrick after being dropped, and the Slovenian striker fired home with a deflected effort in the 81st minute. The win leaves United three points clear of fourth-placed Villa in the race to reach the Champions League via a top-four finish.
Source: Al Jazeera English
