Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Aston Villa by Bruno Fernandes gave Manchester United a better chance of finishing in the top four of the Premier League and continuing their dominance at Old Trafford.
With 63 points from 32 games, Erik Ten Hag’s team is fourth in the standings. They have a game in hand on fifth-place Tottenham Hotspur, who are on 54 points.
Joined are unbeaten at home in 15 straight Chief Association games, with only three draws. Since the opening weekend of the season, when they played Brighton & Hove Albion, they have not lost at Old Trafford.
Joined set Manor goalkeeper Emi Martinez to work ahead of schedule with a few extraordinary possibilities before they were at long last compensated in the 39th moment.
After Marcus Rashford’s well-timed run, Martinez dived to block his shot, and Fernandes sprinted in for a one-touch finish from a tight angle for his 100th league goal. He celebrated in front of the Aston Villa section that was visiting.
With 54 points from 34 matches, Unai Emery’s Villa are sixth in the standings, their first loss in 11 games.
In addition, they failed to score for the first time in their 21 games under Emery’s leadership.
Ten Hag criticized his players for not giving their all in a 2-2 draw with Spurs three days prior to the victory.
On Sunday, they responded well, creating several chances, including a volley from Marcel Sabitzer that went just over the goal and a curling shot from Casemiro that bounced back off the crossbar a few minutes later.
Despite Villa’s improvement after the break, United had more chances, including two from Rashford alone. He broke two Villa defenders in the 59th minute, and Martinez sprinted off his line to grab the ball.
A few magnificent shielding held the guests back from attracting level the perishing minutes, including two or three fast fire clearances from Sabitzer, with his foot, and Victor Lindelof, with his head.
Before the game, hundreds of fans protested the Glazer family’s ownership of the team by marching to Old Trafford with large banners that read “Full sale only” and burning flares.