It was more of quality for Manchester United at Villa Park yesterday. I was chanced to see the match and I discovered how matured United has grown to be. Well fortunately for United Aston Villa didn't have much to prove and so they played with so much carefree and carelessness.
Even as a United fan, I personally wasn't expecting a win from United for I was hoping that the major concentration would be keeping key players far away from injuries in order to have them healthy enough for the UEL final but seeing the match yesterday and listening to some couple of commentaries, I discovered that United had or have too many matches to take on in few days, and they are likely not to win two out of the three which Aston Villa was one of them.
So, winning Aston Villa at Villa Park yesterday was more like United trying to seal their seat at the 2nd position on the EPL table. Manchester United would be taking on Leicester City tomorrow, and that's really going to be a tough one for Manchester United even though the match would be at Old Trafford.
Leicester City are currently on the verge of not being able to qualify for the next UCL, and they can't afford to take any chances. They lost a beautiful chance against Newcastle United some days ago, and that would only portray them very aggressive against Manchester United tomorrow. Even as a United fan, I really can't predict what Ole (Manchester United's Manager) squad, formation, and play pattern would be for tomorrow.
United would be playing Liverpool just two days after hosting Leicester tomorrow and that's another tough match for Liverpool has to win in order to keep their hopes for UCL alive. Well, I personally believe United won't win the two matches and at the same time, I am sure they won't lose both matches too. It's either United win one and lose one, or draw the both, or lose one and draw one. Winning the both would be too heavy on the team considering the fact that they still have the UEL final this month.
At first, United attacked so hard in the first 10mins but then made some sloppy mistakes in the the defense, this I wasn't surprised to see because United's defense orientation has never been that accurate but if the team can always score more goals, then I'm fine as a fan!
One of the sloppy mistakes led to Aston Villa bagging the first goal in the 24th minute by Bertrand Traore, a player who also scored against United in the first leg when United won by 2 goals to 1 at Old Trafford. There were some sloppy and flimsy mistakes which led to the goal actually but we still couldn't write off the accuracy and sensation on the strike by Traore which went over Henderson's head and saw the back of United's net. It was indeed a beautiful goal but then, after the goal.....
After the goal, I couldn't understand either Villa intend to defend the only goal from the 24th minute of the game or they just got scared because I actually got pissed by what I began to see them play, and then I concluded that United could still win the game. They won the half time with that single goal but, since it was just a single goal, I still trusted United to come around like they've done many times this season in the EPL.
I thought the pressure and the fear in Aston Villa was much in the first half but immediately it was the beginning of the second half, there was just so much to complain about if only I were the manager for Aston Villa.
The mistakes kept growing and growing on Villa's part and that led to a quick penalty for United in the 50th minute. Douglas Luiz committed Pogba in the box 18 in a silly manner. He made the same mistake against Pogba in the first leg which helped United to win the 3 points at Old Trafford, and yet committed the same error again in the return leg at Villa Park, it was just indeed a painful mistake!
(
I don't think there's any player to me more trusted than Bruno in Europe when it comes to taking penalties. Well, he could lose it any anytime as no one is above losing but immediately United were awarded the penalty, I was so such that was the equalizer and Bruno made it so!
United having an early goal in the second half (52rd minute) made the hopes for a win so high in United's players and I began to see more attacks and more creativity.
Even with all the creative moves, there always have to be a good or great finisher else the acts of creativity would have been some huge waste but luckily for United, I beautiful and smart player like Greenwood was around. Greenwood provided United the second and leading goal just 4 minutes after Bruno had scored the equalizer. The goal was a quick and a sensational strike from Greenwood, it came unexpected even to a viewer like me, I never expected the final touch or a strike from Greenwood at the moment because the space there wasn't so accommodating but the 19 year old English man understands his footwork well enough!
I don't really know what to address Cavani as anymore, he's just not too old, not tired, always relevant!
I wonder what would be going through the minds of PSG management boards whenever they get to see what Cavani has done and is doing at Manchester United. He came into the match yesterday at the 65th minute for Greenwood, just 9 minutes after Greenwood had scored the leading goal for United, and then I knew there was more goals for United even though I didn't really meant for Cavani to score.
Cavani scored the third goal for United in the 87th minute with the aim of a powerful header just like he had done many times this season. There is no doubt that United would extend his stay on the Old Trafford pitch because he still has what it takes, and I am just waiting to see him score and lift up the UEL trophy before this month runs out.
Cavani has score 8 massive goals for United in his last 7 appearance whereby he had only played 90 minutes twice and at least 45 minutes 5 times. That's really a great stat, and I hope Ole doesn't get to kill his form peradventure when Martial comes back from injury.
All pictures are screenshots from live stream and some highlight videos.
@cryptoandcoffee