Sunday April 15, 2012 Day 34 Finished Old Trafford

Manchester United 4 - 0 Aston Villa

  • Rooney 7’ (pen.), 73’
  • Welbeck 43’
  • Nani 90’

  1. United thump Villa to stay clear of City

    United thump Villa to stay clear of City

    Wayne Rooney scored twice as Manchester United bounced back from defeat with a 4-0 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Manchester United
    • Aston Villa
    • - Don't forget you can watch highlights of this match, along with the weekend's other Premier League games, from 00:01 on Monday morning (UK only).
    • 90+4 Cleverley fires over from the edge of the box as United chase a fifth. That's it, 4-0 to United, who restore their five-point lead at the top ahead of the City derby.
    • 90+3 Good cross from Nani but headed clear for now. But Evans picks it up and threads Nani through, who beats Given at his near post with a cheeky finish! 4-0.
    • 90+2 Nani is booked after clipping Hutton while off balance. Very harsh.
    • 90+1 Booking for Bannan after a lunge on Carrick.
    • 90' Four minutes added time.
    • 89' Nani with a perfect corner that Evans meets with a towering header just over!
    • 88' Lichaj with a fine block to deny Berbatov after excellent play from Nani out wide! Corner.
    • 87' N'Zogbia finds Carruthers, who wins a corner off Cleverley. Bannan to take. Baker shoves Berbatov.
    • 86' Agbonlahor stays onside on the right but Evans blocks his cross for Heskey.
    • 85' Nani on a mazy run but he's eased off the ball just outside the box.
    • 84' Nani finds Evra bounding forward wide left but a heavy touch runs it out for a goal kick.
    • 84' VILLA SUB: N'Zogbia replaces Weimann.
    • 83' Heskey a bit dazed after taking a blow. He's ok though.
    • 82' The corner is taken short but United give it away as Rafael is sold short; he does well to win it back, but then gives it away.
    • 81' Ferdinand strides forward, Berbatov now, Welbeck wide to VALENCIA but Given tips it over! Big deflection off Lichaj too.
    • 80' United have a corner on the right, not cleared and Evans finds Rafael but his cross is blocked. Carruthers brings it aay, he looks remarkably like namesake and fellow ex-Gunner Samir Nasri.
    • 79' Somehow Given keeps it out with his chest and then face after Welbeck's deflected effort bounced off Collins towards goal after a goalmouth scramble.
    • 78' That was a miss on Given, not even booked there. Scholes is replaced by heir apparent Cleverley.
    • 77' Given goes walkabout and clearly handles outside the area but play-on says the ref, with United still in possession.
    • 76' Free-kick to Villa from range but Gardner sends it high and wide.
    • 75' VILLA SUB: Samir Carruthers on for Ireland.
    • 75' UNITED SUB: Fergie hauls Rooney off, possibly aware that a hat-trick when he plays averagely could be an unwise confidence boost. Berbatov on.
    • 74' GOAL UNITED! Rooney gets his second despite playing poorly, Valencia completing a one-two from wide, Rooney in acres of space, sending a low deflected effort off Collins and in. 3-0.
    • 73' Agbonlahor runs down the left but into Rafael, United clearing and keeping it short.
    • 72' Rooney almost releases Welbeck but good defending by Villa to snuff that out.
    • 71' Corner to Villa which Baker meets, heading wide, but Halsey had blown for pushing.
    • 70' United break but Valencia telegraphs the dribble to Lichaj. Villa bring it clear.
    • 69' Ireland on the right finds Bannan, now Hutton overlaps but his cross is coolly headed to Scholes by Ferdinand.
    • 68' BAD MISS ROONEY! Fine cross by Valencia to find him unmarked but he scuffs his fnish wide from the penalty spot.
    • 67' Heskey is actually playing up front, his first act to power a super header in that De Gea tips over. Fantastic leap to meet Agbonlahor's cross.
    • 66' That hit Baker's arm, which was lingering outstretched and not pulled away when it could have been. A penalty in my view.
    • 65' The corner comes in from Valencia, Nani flicks it towards goal and I think that hit Baker's arm but nothing given!
    • 64' VILLA SUB: Heskey on for the injured Clark, probably to play at centre-half.
    • 63' Clark came back on with a bandaged head, but he has gone down again. He's back up, not sure if it's concussion but I think his game is over.
    • 62' Nani's first touch is a fine ball inside to Welbeck, now Carrick to Valencia, great low cross but half-cleared to SCHOLES whose shot is blocked. Corner.
    • 61' UNITED SUB: Young applauds both sets of fans but the feeling is not entirely mutual, Nani replacing him.
    • 60' Welbeck on the United left, now Young has it, inside and out of Bannan but has to go back to Scholes. Possession football now, first time United have really done it this half.
    • 59' Good ball from Ireland to Hutton wide right but Evra wins the challenge to clear.
    • 58' Clark is led off for further treatment as they try to stop the flow of blood. Evra is back on and play restarts, Lichaj returning the drop ball to Given, who kicks it back upfield.
    • 57' Evra strolls off, just a knock to the shoulder, but Clark receives treatment to a cut head.
    • 56' Evra is down holding his shoulder, Clark I think hurt his head colliding with Evra.
    • 55' Evra with a brave interception on Clark, then he frees Rooney, going down afterwards, but a rubbish pass from Rooney to Valencia is intercepted.
    • 54' A good spell of possession ends wastefully, Bannan firing a wild effort miles over.
    • 53' Rooney leads a United counter but is held up by Collins. Villa with a bit more of the ball now.
    • 52' Young lives, but has to limp off. A bit of a tear-jerker that one, Hutton's knees and feet taking him in the midriff.
    • 51' Young is taken out by a flying Hutton and he is booked. Classic Hutton.
    • 50' Agbonlahor is struggling after that whack, a dead leg I assume.
    • 49' Heskey is warming up for Villa. A man with surprisingly small feet for his size.
    • 48' After a chat from the ref, Scholes is booked.
    • 47' Scholes responds to my praise with a high boot into Agbonlahor's thigh.
    • 46' Scholes's tackling appears to have improved after his break from football. Another fine interception.
    • 46' The second half is underway.
    • - Have your say on that half on Twitter, as the comments below have been disabled for a while. FOLLOW ON TWITTER!
    • 45+1 Half-time and United lead 2-0; the first goal the result of a soft penalty courtesy of Ashley "Daley" Young, the second some poor defending from Villa.
    • 45' Decent pressure from Villa as a minute is added on, but United are comfortable now.
    • 44' Young dallies in his own box but gets it clear in the end.
    • 43' Scholes miscontrols it but Carrick bails him out before surging forward. Evra with a low cross that Given should claim BUT HE MISSES IT AND A SLIDING WELBECK TAPS IN! Howler from Given! His defenders all let it go too, Collins and Baker both leaving it. Poor from Villa.
    • 42' Welbeck chases a high ball down the right, knocking it inside Lichaj but slipping as he tries to reach what was a heavy touch.
    • 41' United are dominating possession but look a tiny bit flaky at the back. Story of their season.
    • 40' Scholes wide to Valencia, he takes it inside to Rooney, who tries to flick it in for Carrick but a terrible ball in the air to Given. Apart from the penalty, Rooney has been poor.
    • 39' A sliced pass from De Gea, not the first time today, into the stands so no harm.
    • 38' United break, Valencia beating Lichaj but unable to get past the impressive Baker. Yellow card for Gardner after a late one on Scholes.
    • 37' A promising Villa attack loses momentum as Gardner gives it away.
    • 36' Having scored a screamer a few weeks ago, Valencia smacks a curler with the outside of his boot high into the stands - for a throw. Oops.
    • 35' Poor pass from Rooney on the left side of the box. Agbonlahor gives it away now, only for Valencia to lose the ball. Now Rafael on the right with a lovely disguised pass to Valencia, only for Villa to scramble clear.
    • 34' The clearance from the corner lands for Rooney but he sends it so wide it threatens to go for a throw; goal kick though.
    • 33' Super dribbling from Carrick into the area, unlike him, but his cut-back is behind Young. Rafael has it though, now Valencia WHO DRIVES IN A VICIOUS LOW BALL THAT WELBECK SMASHES HOME BUT WHAT A SAVE GIVEN! Welbeck from close range rifled it low and it bounced to the roof of the net but somehow Given readjusted! Corner.
    • 32' Rooney rather deep picks up the ball, putting one wide for Valencia, which Lichaj intercepts.
    • 31' Scholes seems okay as he gets up. Play restarts as Scholes sends a wicked long ball to Rooney, who is just unable to bring it down in the box. Baker with a toe on it, great interception!
    • 30' Scholes with a fine tackle on Clark but he gets a knock in the process and stays down. Knee area, just a knock it seems.
    • 29' The corner is drifted to the edge of the box for SCHOLES WITH A VICIOUS VOLLEY but inches wide! What an effort, Given helpless!
    • 28' Young robs Bannan, feeding Welbeck who is foiled by Baker. He wins a corner though, on the left.
    • 28' Valencia in space on the right, super cut-back past Lichaj but he fails to beat Baker and Villa clear.
    • 27' Weimann did well to rob Rafael there, the Brazilian dithering somewhat.
    • 26' Hutton on the right swings over a cross but far too deep. However, Rafael slips and Ireland curls one in but wide!
    • 25' A series of corners result in Scholes volleying from a clearance, but straight at Given.
    • 24' Carrick flicks on a corner, which Rooney meets with a far-post header but he was always leaning back and puts it well wide.
    • 23' Welbeck skins Collins and goes it alone but his finish is blocked by a tracking Bannan. Corner.
    • 23' Evans is not the best crosser of the ball and, after getting in acres of space wide right, he overhits his centre with Rooney and Welbeck lying in wait.
    • 22' Young on the left finds Welbeck, back to Scholes as United look to pass the visitors into submission. Carrick finds Rooney who backheels to Welbeck, brilliant but his attempt to finish is blocked by a well-placed Collins!
    • 21' Good skill by Carrick but Rooney delays the offload, allowing Collins to clear.
    • 20' Villa have a free-kick on the right now, quite dep and swung in by Bannan with Clark attacking but flicking the header wide. Not far too!
    • 19' Taken short to Rafael but he gets his cross all wrong, sailing it over the bar.
    • 18' Rooney with a ferocious drive from the right-hand corner of the box after skinning Lichaj but palmed behind by Given! Corner.
    • 17' Taken quickly to Scholes, wide to Valencia then back inside. Now Evra on the left with a superb cross AND WELBECK WITH THE FREE HEADER but Baker somehow flies across to block the goal-bound effort!
    • 16' Meanwhile, Huttong gives away a free-kick with a Bona Fide foul on Young.
    • 15' So, in short, United fans don't mind Young diving; the rest do. Got to love the blinkers of football fans.
    • 14' Rooney lets a good pass from Carrick run across him when he should have taken it on, with space in the middle.
    • 13' Ireland wide to Weimann as Villa look to get into the final third. Poor clearane by Evans but Ireland can't release Agbonlahor.
    • 12' Scholes sweeps it wide to Valencia, nice ball, but the winger fouls Lichaj and Villa have a free-kick.
    • 11' Scholes, meanwhile, almost finds space for a shot after a sweeping United move but he is closed down by Collins.
    • - Is Ashley Young now the worst diver in the league, or just clever at highlighting contact? Have your say on Twitter @Reda_Eurosport.
    • 10' Bannan takes the free-kick, which is deflected to Gardner far post but he can only overhead-kick to De Gea. Valencia breaks but cleared to touch.
    • 9' Carrick chops down Gardner and is booked. He was late sliding in.
    • 8' Clark did catch him although how much of that was Young's boot flicking out I am not sure. Yet another controversial penalty this weekend, which Rooney buries bottom right. 1-0.
    • 7' Young on the left with a superb run around Hutton, he cuts inside and is brought down by Clark - theatrical from Young, but there was slight contact and it's a penalty!
    • 6' Evans gets forward, wide to Rafael, now Valencia to Scholes, possession play from United.
    • 5' United play it out from the back and now Young bounds forward, he can't get past Hutton though who clears from Evra to touch.
    • 4' Carrick finds Rooney, who unleashes a shot that is blocked by his team-mate Young! It drops to Welbeck but he is forced wide. The Rooney shot looked goalbound to me!
    • 3' Weimann is starting as a left winger it seems, again sent scuttling away by a clever Ireland ball but a touch too heavy this time.
    • 2' Evans gives it away to Weimann but Rafael reclaims the ball. Valencia with a backheel to Rooney, flicked on by Welbeck but Bannan picks it up. Bright start.
    • 1' Ireland with a superb through ball to Weimann, who is in on the left but shoots straight at De Gea from an angle.
    • 1' Immaculately observed. And the match is underway!
    • 15:59 A minute's silence for Piermario Morosini, the Livorno midfielder who sadly died after suffering cardiac arrest on the pitch in a Serie B match with Pescara yesterday.
    • 15:58 I'm going for a tetchy 2-1 win for United, but what do I know? (That question was rhetorical)
    • 15:57 @obisweetie: "man utd 3 villa 1"; @Haukur8: "United probably going in 1-0 at halftime and finishing 3 or 4-0"; @incakolanews: "Err, Reda definitely sucks/is cool and Ref 12th man for ManU & we love Rooney's haircut and 3-0 today." PREDICTIONS ON TWITTER!
    • 15:56 The teams are out. Squeaky-bum time as Sir Alex famously once said.
    • 15:55 No comments underneath the matchcast as you've probably worked out, so if you have any predictions, opinions, complaints or mis-spelled ad-hominem attacks against evil biased journalists, Tweet away @Reda_Eurosport. FOLLOW ON TWITTER!
    • 15:50 And given the context of that last stat, it is no surprise that these odds were given: Manchester United (1/4), Aston Villa (14/1), Draw (11/2)
    • 15:45 FACT: Man Utd have won all nine Premier League games that Paul Scholes has started this season.
    • 15:45 The Red Devils have scored three or more in six of their last eight PL games at home to the Villans; Sir Alex Ferguson’s men have won their last six Premier League games at home, conceding just one goal in this run; Manchester United have not failed to score in consecutive Premier League games since May-Aug 2007
    • 15:40 Defeat in this match would mean that Villa have their lowest-ever points total after 33 games in the Premier League (35); Villa have taken maximum points in just one of their last 10 league matches (D5 L4); But Villa have already picked up more points on the road this season (18) than last season (17).
    • 15:40 FACT: United have failed to win four times against Villa in the last four seasons in the PL: only against Chelsea and Liverpool (five each) have they been less successful; But Villa have only won one of their last 26 league visits to Old Trafford (1-0 in December 2009).
    • 15:35 Alex McLeish: "Can I spoil the United party? I have done it before with Motherwell when we played Rangers. They had the carnival ready to go. Motherwell won that day 2-0 with two goals from Owen Coyle. I am not going to rest. I'm not going to go home and think, 'That's fine, there's daylight here'. We have to keep them on their toes and keep them at a good level."
    • 15:35 Sir Alex Ferguson on the 1-0 loss to Wigan: "We have to put it in a bit of perspective. You drop points in the second half of the season. We have done it most years. There has been an odd year when we have gone on a long run without losing but a couple of years back we lost 4-1 to Liverpool and won the league. But from the position we were in a few months ago, to where we are today, we have to be delighted."
    • 15:30 Stiliyan Petrov is at Old Trafford in the stands after starting his treatment for leukaemia. Good man. Referee Mark Halsey knows a thing or two about that, having recovered from cancer a few years ago.
    • 15:25 Villa are without Chris Herd (head) and Stephen Warnock (ankle) who picked up knocks in the 1-1 draw with Stoke. Gary Gardner and Ciaran Clark come into the midfield, the latter change not great news for Charlies N'Zogbia as Clark is a defender. Midfielder Fabian Delph has returned to training after his ankle injury when on loan at Leeds while winger Marc Albrighton is battling to overcome a thigh problem.
    • 15:25 United recall Paul Scholes, who was rested for Wednesday's defeat at Wigan, which saw United's lead at the top cut to five points. He replaces Ryan Giggs, who was poor in that match, while Rafael comes in for Phil Jones and Danny Welbeck starts instead of Javier Hernandez.
    • 15:20 TEAMS - Man Utd: De Gea, Rafael Da Silva, Evans, Ferdinand, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Scholes, Young, Rooney, Welbeck; Subs: Amos, Jones, Berbatov, Giggs, Hernandez, Nani, Cleverley /// Aston Villa: Given, Hutton, Collins, Baker, Lichaj, Bannan, Ireland, Clark, Gardner, Weimann, Agbonlahor; Subs: Guzan, N'Zogbia, Delfouneso, Heskey, Cuellar, Johnson, Carruthers
    • 15:15 Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of Manchester United and Aston Villa's Premier League clash at Old Trafford, kicking off at 4pm.

  • Summary

    • 90+3 Good cross from Nani but headed clear for now. But Evans picks it up and threads Nani through, who beats Given at his near post with a cheeky finish! 4-0.
    • 89' Nani with a perfect corner that Evans meets with a towering header just over!
    • 88' Lichaj with a fine block to deny Berbatov after excellent play from Nani out wide! Corner.
    • 81' Ferdinand strides forward, Berbatov now, Welbeck wide to VALENCIA but Given tips it over! Big deflection off Lichaj too.
    • 79' Somehow Given keeps it out with his chest and then face after Welbeck's deflected effort bounced off Collins towards goal after a goalmouth scramble.
    • 74' GOAL UNITED! Rooney gets his second despite playing poorly, Valencia completing a one-two from wide, Rooney in acres of space, sending a low deflected effort off Collins and in. 3-0.
    • 68' BAD MISS ROONEY! Fine cross by Valencia to find him unmarked but he scuffs his fnish wide from the penalty spot.
    • 67' Heskey is actually playing up front, his first act to power a super header in that De Gea tips over. Fantastic leap to meet Agbonlahor's cross.
    • 65' The corner comes in from Valencia, Nani flicks it towards goal and I think that hit Baker's arm but nothing given!
    • 43' Scholes miscontrols it but Carrick bails him out before surging forward. Evra with a low cross that Given should claim BUT HE MISSES IT AND A SLIDING WELBECK TAPS IN! Howler from Given! His defenders all let it go too, Collins and Baker both leaving it. Poor from Villa.
    • 33' Super dribbling from Carrick into the area, unlike him, but his cut-back is behind Young. Rafael has it though, now Valencia WHO DRIVES IN A VICIOUS LOW BALL THAT WELBECK SMASHES HOME BUT WHAT A SAVE GIVEN! Welbeck from close range rifled it low and it bounced to the roof of the net but somehow Given readjusted! Corner.
    • 29' The corner is drifted to the edge of the box for SCHOLES WITH A VICIOUS VOLLEY but inches wide! What an effort, Given helpless!
    • 26' Hutton on the right swings over a cross but far too deep. However, Rafael slips and Ireland curls one in but wide!
    • 22' Young on the left finds Welbeck, back to Scholes as United look to pass the visitors into submission. Carrick finds Rooney who backheels to Welbeck, brilliant but his attempt to finish is blocked by a well-placed Collins!
    • 20' Villa have a free-kick on the right now, quite dep and swung in by Bannan with Clark attacking but flicking the header wide. Not far too!
    • 18' Rooney with a ferocious drive from the right-hand corner of the box after skinning Lichaj but palmed behind by Given! Corner.
    • 17' Taken quickly to Scholes, wide to Valencia then back inside. Now Evra on the left with a superb cross AND WELBECK WITH THE FREE HEADER but Baker somehow flies across to block the goal-bound effort!
    • 8' Clark did catch him although how much of that was Young's boot flicking out I am not sure. Yet another controversial penalty this weekend, which Rooney buries bottom right. 1-0.
    • 7' Young on the left with a superb run around Hutton, he cuts inside and is brought down by Clark - theatrical from Young, but there was slight contact and it's a penalty!
    • 4' Carrick finds Rooney, who unleashes a shot that is blocked by his team-mate Young! It drops to Welbeck but he is forced wide. The Rooney shot looked goalbound to me!
    • 1' Ireland with a superb through ball to Weimann, who is in on the left but shoots straight at De Gea from an angle.
    • 15:20 TEAMS - Man Utd: De Gea, Rafael Da Silva, Evans, Ferdinand, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Scholes, Young, Rooney, Welbeck; Subs: Amos, Jones, Berbatov, Giggs, Hernandez, Nani, Cleverley /// Aston Villa: Given, Hutton, Collins, Baker, Lichaj, Bannan, Ireland, Clark, Gardner, Weimann, Agbonlahor; Subs: Guzan, N'Zogbia, Delfouneso, Heskey, Cuellar, Johnson, Carruthers

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

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    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      6.4 7
      Defenders
      5.9 7
      6.3 8
      6.1 7
      6.1 7
      Midfielders
      Yellow Card 6 7
      Yellow Card Substitution Out78′ 7 7
      6.9 7
      Substitution Out61′ 5.1 6
      Strikers
      Goals ×2 Substitution Out74′ 6.6 7
      Goal 6.1 7
      Subs
      Substitution In74′ 7.3 6
      Substitution In78′ 6.7 6
      Substitution In61′ Goal Yellow Card 7 7
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      6.2 6
      Defenders
      Yellow Card 4.8 5
      5.1 5
      5.2 5
      5.2 6
      Midfielders
      Substitution Out75′ 5.3 6
      Substitution Out64′ 5.1 5
      Yellow Card 5.2 6
      Yellow Card 5 5
      Strikers
      Substitution Out83′ 5.4 6
      5.1 6
      Subs
      Substitution In64′ 4.7 6
      Substitution In83′ 4.2 6
      Substitution In75′ 4.3 6