Good afternoon and welcome to The42′s live coverage of Manchester United’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa, a game which could go a long way toward securing top-flight safety for both sides.
Newly promoted Aston Villa are lingering near the drop zone, but victory at Old Trafford would move them level on points with United in 11th spot. A win for the hosts, meanwhile, would see them move within six points of Chelsea in fourth.
We're here! #MUFC team news for #MUNAVL is imminent... pic.twitter.com/BFe7fsXMEt
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 1, 2019
We’ll have team news and more over the next 50 or so minutes before kick-off, which is at 16:30.
Catch you in a few!
UP THE VILLA. 💜#MUNAVL #AVFC pic.twitter.com/eIrkMzVafN
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) December 1, 2019
Dean Smith’s Villa are unchanged from Monday’s 2-0 win over Newcastle, while United have returned to a more recognisable side than the one which lined out in Kazakhstan in the Europa League on Thursday. They’ll be looking to return to their decent run of domestic form, too.
Still no Paul Pogba for the home side, but the Frenchman returned to Carrington on Friday and will rejoin training next week after a two-month rehabilitation for an ankle injury.
Here are the thoughts of United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ahead of his 50th game in charge of United…
🗣 The #MUFC boss looks ahead to #MUNAVL... pic.twitter.com/xl1JzZcuNb
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 1, 2019
Just under half an hour ’til kick-off.
How do you think today’s game is going to play out?
Poll Results:
Per Opta, Manchester United have won 34 Premier League games against Aston Villa – the only team to win more against a specific opponent in the competition are Man Utd themselves, with 36 wins against Everton. Domination.
Cork man Conor Hourihane makes his first start at Old Trafford today…
We’re under way at Old Trafford!
2′ United 0-0 Villa: The hosts are attacking into the East Stand in the first half, and have had almost all of the ball since kick-off. Both sides just feeling each other out early, here. No incidents of note so far.
8′ – United 0-0 Villa: The visitors remain very compact in their own half, causing United to force things a little. Still nothing resembling a chance. Hourihane is snapping at the ankles of United’s midfielders — decent start for him in the ‘let them know you’re there’ stakes.
Speaking of, Harry Maguire is in the book already for pulling back Anwar El Ghazi.
9′ – United 0-0 Villa: First chance(s): Fred fizzes a ball into Martial who sets United off down the left. A pullback — I think by Brandon Williams — evades everyone, and Andres Perreira’s cross from the other side is cleared as far as Fred again who fires over with his less-favoured right foot.
Down the other end, Wesley dribbles a tame shot into the arms of De Gea.
11′ – GOOOOAAALLLL! United 0-1 Villa: Oh. My. Word. What a goal by Jack Grealish!
The Villa captain curls an absolutely sumptuous strike into the top right-hand corner from the corner of the box. De Gea can only watch it. Surprised he didn’t applaud.
An amazing goal, one of the best you’ll see this season, and Villa lead!
16′ – United 0-1 Villa: El Ghazi is down receiving treatment, and looks like his race is run this evening. He appeared to injure himself while crossing the ball moments ago.
Yep, he’s gone off. And on comes Trezeguet to replace him. A bit of a blow for Villa — El Ghazi had made a bright start.
20′ – United 0-1 Villa: Grealish and the visitors have actually responded better to their goal than United. Old Trafford is hushed apart from the vociferous Villa fans in the corner. Dean Smith’s outfit are in control at the moment.
22′ – United 0-1 Villa: Chance for United! Lovely skill from Fred who wriggles into a yard of space and plays a tidy ball for Martial, but the French attacker’s first-time attempt is saved at Tom Heaton’s near post. It was a tight angle for Martial but he might have gotten more purchase on the strike.
24′ – United 0-1 Villa: This man is pulling strings… Fred is now in the book for fouling him.
Incidentally, Grealish is the most-fouled player in the Premier League so far this season.
28′ – United 0-1 Villa: This has been a poor performance by United so far. It’s not dissimilar to the first half at Bramall Lane last week in that their key players are simply not affecting the game. Fred has been their standout.
Villa have the ball in the net again, meanwhile, but the offside flag had long been raised. There seemed to be a VAR check to ensure Grealish was indeed offside. It looked very close, but no goal.
30′ – United 0-1 Villa: Rashford has a snap-shot trickle away from goal, but he and United are feeding off scraps at the moment.
Hourihane just played a lovely ball down the left and set Wesley away. Villa have been the better side in possession.
34′ – United 0-1 Villa:United string a nice move together and Wan-Bissaka cuts infield before playing a nice ball through for Rashford. The English forward is well shepherded, however, and Heaton comes out to beat him to the ball.
37′ – United 0-1 Villa: There’s a VAR check, here: Hourihane delivered a free-kick from the left which seemed, rather bizarrely, to hit Mata’s hands — only they were literally behind his back. He was acting as the one-man wall, and kind of turned into the ball to partially block it. No penalty, says referee Craig Paulson.
42′ – GOOOOAALLLL! United 1-1 Villa: Marcus Rashford, who had a half-chance moments beforehand, heads home a delightful cross by Andreas Perreira from deep.
Stunning ball in. Rashford actually heads it off the post and it goes in off Heaton, so it will likely go down as an own goal. 1-1!
45′ – United 1-1 Villa: Again, Villa have responded better to the goal, even if the Old Trafford crowd is now more energised.
Grealish has come fairly close again, and Trezeguet just hit a ballistic missile of a shot which De Gea parried well clear of his goal.
Three minutes of added time.
47′ – United 1-1 Villa: The Premier League have confirmed that United’s goal was, officially, an OG by Tom Heaton.
So, United back in it, but struggling. That Perreira cross for the Heaton own goal is the best piece of quality they’ve produced all game.
Villa still actually look the more threatening, coherent side at the break.
That said, United were as bad if not worse this time last weekend, and they turned that game on its head.
Let’s see how this second half pans out! Catch you in a few.
46′ – United 1-1 Villa: The second half is under way. United attacking into the Stretford End for the next 45.
This one is very much in the balance. United need to speed things up, whereas Villa need to pretty much keep doing what they’re doing.
Could be a fun half!
50′ – United 1-1 Villa: United are definitely trying to up the tempo. Martial makes a clever dart inside and blasts a left-footed shot out for a corner off a defender.
The corner comes to nothing in the end.
52′ – United 1-1 Villa: Nice flick by Mata to set Wan-Bissaka away down the right. His pullback eventually finds Mata who backheels to Fred, but the Brazilian fires an awful right-footed shot wide.
Positive signs for United.
56′ – United 1-1 Villa: United piecing together some nice play, now, and the game has sprung to life bigtime. Villa remain something of a threat on the break. Not many clear-cut chances for either side in the second half so far, but you get the sense that they’re coming.
58′ – United 1-1 Villa: Yep, there are two of them! Firstly, a wonderful run by Martial who slaloms into the Villa box, but has a left-footed effort batted away by Heaton. And then Mata and Rashford combine cleverly but the Spaniard’s penalty appeal is waved away — and rightfully so — as he’s edged off possession in the area.
63′ – United 1-1 Villa: OH, WHAT A CHANCE FOR GREALISH! He starts the move, which winds up with Trezeguet trying one with the outside of his boot. It’s deflected into Grealish’s path but the captain can’t convert! Huge miss. They could regret that one!
64′ – GOOOOOALLLL! United 2-1 Villa: Of course they regret it.
It’s United who lead, and it’s Victor Lindelof who has scored with a looping header over Tom Heaton.
Old Trafford erupts! 2-1!
66′ – GOOOAAAAAALLLLL!!! United 2-2 Villa: Oh my word, what a game! Villa respond almost immediately, and it’s Tyrone Mings who fires home.
Super finish as United are caught napping at the back. Matt Targett dinks a cross and United appeal for offside, but Brandon Williams appeared to play Mings onside before the big defender fired home a volleyed finish.
A VAR check confirms Mings was on, the goal stands, and Villa are level again! 2-2!
Strap in, folks!
73′ – United 2-2 Villa: Jesse Lingard is about to be introduced by Solksjaer, one would presume for Juan Mata who for all his class just doesn’t have the athleticism to contribute to what United are trying to do at the moment. It is Mata, and Lingard will have over 15 minutes to try and link up with the very-quiet Daniel James, Rashford and Martial.
78′ – United 2-2 Villa: United, now, are dominating possession as Villa drop deeper and look to hit them on the break.
James charges down the right wing and delivers a superb cross, but not for the first time this season, there’s nobody there at the end of it.
78′ – United 2-2 Villa: Good grief, what a chance for United! Fred tumbles in the area and the ball somehow squirts to Martial, who from point-blank range scoops it over the bar. He didn’t have much room to manoeuvre but getting the ball over the bar from there is actually an achievement.
79′ – United 2-2 Aston Villa: Luke Shaw is on for Brandon Williams for United, and Henri Lansbury has replaced the impressive Conor Hourihane for Villa.
82′ – United 2-2 Villa: Mason Greenwod replaces Anthony Martial, who looks a bit groggy after taking a blow to the head a few moments ago. United in possession and knocking on the door but not blowing the house down by any means.
83′ – United 2-2 Villa: Chance! A delicate cross by James is nodded gently into Heaton’s hands by Fred, who in fairness was slightly behind the cross as he met it.
86′ – United 2-2 Villa: Solskjaer imploring his side to go forward, and the pressure is beginning to build. Lingard squeezes and effort in at goal from a tight angle but Heaton keeps it out.
From the resulting corner, Harry Maguire has a header cleared off the line but he’s also penalised for a push as he rose to meet the cross. A nearly moment.
89′ – United 2-2 Villa: Luke Shaw is booked for a cynical foul on that man again, Grealish, as he broke for a two-on-two counter-attack.
91′ – United 2-2 Villa: Four minutes of added time, one of which has now elapsed. This one looks like it’s going to slip away from United at the moment.
93′ – United 2-2 Villa: One last chance for United. A free-kick halfway inside the Villa half. Perreira delivers it and Maguire knocks it down, but Villa clear the English defender’s header — and that’s that!
Another frustrating result for United and a performance that, for the most part, just wasn’t good enough. They’re up to ninth, but it’s a missed opportunity to build something resembling momentum.
For Villa, a point well-earned and they might even feel that they could have sneaked all three points, although they were quite absorbant in the second half.
Keep an eye on The42 for a full report and reaction this evening, and thanks for joining us!
