Michael Carrick’s dream start has continued at Old Trafford, with his Manchester United side earning a 3-1 Premier League victory against Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon.
Second-half goals from Casemiro, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko lifted the Reds into a commanding position in the top four while extending the feel-good factor in the North West.
Ross Barkley threatened to dampen the mood with his first goal since November to level proceedings early in the second half, delivering a fine finish past a helpless Senne Lammens.
Nonetheless, Unai Emery’s side were second best for the majority of the fixture, as doubts over their credentials for Champions League football continue to surface.
Focus now shifts to a Friday evening trip to Bournemouth with further wind in the sail, and third place very much Carrick’s to lose at this point of a helter-skelter campaign.
Manchester United earn commanding lead in the race for Champions League football.
The prospect of top-four breathing space was on offer for both sides on Sunday afternoon after Chelsea’s setback and Liverpool’s later kickoff time presented the opportunity of a six-point gap.
United had endured an 11-day wait after a disappointing trip to St James’ Park, and Old Trafford was pining for a return to Premier League football.
Carrick named a strong starting XI to complement a demanding audience, with Amad reinstalled to the attack in place of Sesko as one of two changes from the defeat at Newcastle.
Villa arrived with hopes to snap a run of five consecutive defeats in the North West, while building on the momentum gained during a midweek Europa League victory in France.
And with John McGinn making his first league appearance since January alongside the ever-threatening Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins, few inside the Theatre of Dreams took anything for granted.
Much of the pre-game conversation centred on how this group would respond to their first taste of adversity under their new-look coaching team.
Having reverted to his interchangeable frontline, Carrick was visibly happy during the opening exchanges, applauding his side’s efforts with a high press and plenty of forward intent.
What followed was a series of promising build-up, misplaced final passes and nearly-there moments during an even 20-minute period where neither goalkeeper was forced into a save.
The returning Amad came closest to breaking the deadlock midway through the half, forcing the best out of Emi Martinez with a glancing header from his side’s third corner of the contest.
We witnessed contrasting issues after half an hour of football, as both sets of supporters attempted to deploy the 12th man.
The visitors showed signs of fatigue following their midweek travels, while the hosts struggled with the inevitable rust after a prolonged break from competitive action.
United did grow into ascendancy towards the end of the half through Bruno, and should have scored late on. Unfortunately, Diogo Dalot skied his effort high after his compatriot played him through on goal.
Truthfully, this passage typified 45 minutes of Premier League football that promised much and struggled to deliver in the final third.
| First-half statistics via sofascore.com | Manchester United | Aston Villa |
| Possession | 54% | 46% |
| Total passes | 256 | 223 |
| Shots | 6 | 2 |
| Goalkeeper saves | 0 | 1 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 0.31 | 0.20 |
Carrick resisted the urge to turn to his bench at the break, instead remaining committed to those who threatened before the restart.
His side rewarded the faith shown, building with intent and fashioning quickfire efforts through Amad and Cunha.
Martinez was then called into action to deny Bryan Mbeumo a first goal in five, reacting well to guide the ball wide of his post for a corner.
From here, the Stretford End celebrated the familiar sight of a Casemiro bullet header from a Fernandes delivery, sealing his seventh goal of a final campaign after 53 minutes.
Say what you will about replacing the Brazilian’s defensive qualities, but how will United replace his goalscoring?
To their credit, Villa reacted well and gained some control when Rogers was shifted centrally in the aftermath.
Emery’s side levelled shortly afterwards, courtesy of a fine finish from Barkley, with VAR adjudging no interference from an offside Amadou Onana in the process.
Then it was the home team’s turn to up their intensity as the fixture transcended into a back-and-forth spectacle.
United retook the lead after 71 minutes and, unsurprisingly, Fernandes was the architect once more. The Portuguese played an inch-perfect ball for Cunha to race onto before expertly sidefooting home.
Sesko replaced Mbeumo for the final 15 minutes and added his seventh goal in nine appearances with a striker’s finish following a melee in the box.
The maurauding Slovenian acted quickest following sublime wing play, turning amongst a barrage of bodies to smash his effort home before leaping high with trademark celebrations.
Remarkably, he should have had a second within minutes after another piece of magic from his captain. But the 22-year-old opted to pass when it was easier to shoot and ended up with his head in his hands.
United coasted for the remainder of the fixture with a chorus of applause, and although Villa could have added a second with the final passage of play, it was a job well done in Manchester.
Bruno maintained his remarkable individual season with his 16th assist from 27 appearances, captaining his side to a three-point advantage over their guests, while extending their lead over Chelsea and Liverpool to six.
Notably, Carrick has earned the privilege of being the fourth manager in Premier League history to win his first six home games in a row in the division.
We wanted to know how this team would respond to adversity. Well, now we know.
Let us know in the comments or across our social channels – photo by Alfie Cosgrove/News Images via depositphotos.com.
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