On New Year’s Day at Old Trafford, Manchester United beat Aston Villa 2-1 to go level on points with Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table.
Goals from Anthony Martial and a penalty from Bruno Fernandes game United the precious 4 points. Meanwhile, Bertrand Traore scored for Aston Villa. were enough to put Man United up to 33 points out of 16 games.
Emi Martinez parred away a shot by Martial and David de Gea did well to keep out a John McGinn volley in the opening 15 minutes.
Martial headed home from an Aaron Wan-Bissaka cross on a rapid-fire counter-attack. The hosts took a 1-0 lead at the break. The teams had traded half-chances in a thrilling end-to-end opener.
Shortly after the restart, Traore levelled the score. He fired from close range after he was picked out by Jack Grealish with a low cross into the area. However, Fernandes scored a penalty; coming after Paul Pogba was tripped up in the box by Villa’s Douglas Luiz.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were back in front minutes later. As the second half progressed Fernandes and Marcus Rashford forced tried pressurized Martinez with shots. And Pogba firing just wide of the Villa goal, United peppered Martinez’s mark.
Man Utd will look to continue a strong run of form when they face Manchester City in the semifinals of the Carabao Cup on Jan. Man Utd are now unbeated for 10 games.
