Villa took the lead early on through Leon Bailey, and the second goal came from a free-kick just outside the penalty area, when Lucas Digne curled the ball over the Reds’ wall and past David De Gea to double the lead.
Before halftime, Luke Shaw’s long-range missile took a big deflection off Jacob Ramsey and past Emiliano Martinez to put United back in the game. However, Ramsey restored the two-goal lead by latching onto the end of an Ollie Watkins run and striking the ball in first time, with Erik ten Hag’s team failing to respond. United took an early lead when Alejandro Garnacho chased down Emiliano Martinez in the Aston Villa goal and nearly caught him off his line to take the lead, but Villa stunned the Reds.
Bailey was an immediate threat to the defence, intercepting a great pass from Jacob Ramsey, outpacing Lisandro Martinez, and firing home with his left foot past De Gea to make it 1-0 inside seven minutes.
The second goal came soon after, when Ramsey picked up a misplaced Lisandro Martinez pass, but he was brought down close to the penalty area by Shaw, earning him a yellow card. Villa had three options for the free kick: Douglas Luiz, Emi Buendia, and Digne, and it was Digne who stepped up and curled the ball past De Gea to double the lead.
United had a great chance after great build-up play when Christian Eriksen fed Garnacho, but Martinez saved his shot well. The Reds immediately responded, with Cristiano Ronaldo diving to head towards goal, but the Villa keeper saved the effort once more. United had a great chance after great build-up play when Christian Eriksen fed Garnacho, but Martinez saved his shot well. The Reds immediately responded, with Cristiano Ronaldo diving to head towards goal, but the Villa keeper saved the effort once more.
Fortunately, the goal came when Diogo Dalot floated a ball towards Donny van De Beek, but Villa cleared. Shaw took the ball and went for a long-range shot, which deflected off Ramsey and sailed past Emi Martinez, who didn’t move.
Villa looked just as dangerous in the second half as they did in the first, when Bailey skipped past Lisandro Martinez and fired straight into De Gea’s gloves. Three minutes later, Ollie Watkins sprinted down the left flank, followed by Lindelof, and his pass found Ramsey, who smashed it first time into the top corner.
United looked sloppy in possession, struggling to make quick passes and have a shot on goal against Villa. The frustration grew when Tyrone Mings and Ronaldo collided in the penalty area, with both men receiving yellow cards. The game was called off when substitute Anthony Elanga attempted to reach a cross but collided with Emi Martinez and had to be checked for a head injury.
Dalot had United’s best chance of the second half. Casemiro found the Portugal right-back, who sprinted through, but instead of going for goal, he decided to pass the ball across the box, and the chance was gone when the ball went past every United player and was cleared away.
The final stages were largely incident-free, though Anthony Martial made his comeback from injury.
MATCH DETAILS
Aston Villa: E. Martinez ©, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne (Young 77), Luiz, Dendoncker (Sanson 89), Ramsey, Bailey (McGinn 69), Buendia (Kamara, 77), Watkins (Ings 77).
Subs not used: Olsen, Chambers, Bednarek, Auguestinsson.
Goals: Bailey 7, Digne 11, Ramsey 49.
Booked: Mings, Luiz, E. Martinez
United: De Gea, Dalot, Lindelof, Martinez, Shaw (Malacia 66), Casemiro, Eriksen, Rashford, Van de Beek (Martial 66), Garnacho (Elanga 66), Ronaldo ©.
Subs not used: Dubravka, Maguire, Fred, McTominay, Pellistri, Shoretire.
Goal: Ramsey (og) 45.
Booked: Shaw, Ronaldo, Dalot
