P: Aston Villa 0 - 3 United
PREVIEW: ASTON VILLA v UNITED
Amid the Christmas spirit and frivolity of the holiday season, Sir Alex must hope his team shows due attention when they face Aston Villa later today.
The Midlands club, a working definition for the term “sleeping giant” are not in the best of form after a bright start. But the razor sharp Martin O’Neill will make sure his team will not be a pushover for United.
Sir Alex is certainly aware that three points from the Villa Park encounter cannot be taken for granted, especially after last weekend’s Upton Park setback and has paid tribute to O’Neill for his transformation of the Villains in just a few short months.
“Aston Villa is a real challenge for us. Villa have done exceptionally well since he joined them,” said Sir Alex. “He has made a big impact on the club and where I really applaud him is for the way he has utilised young players. He has given them their opportunity and they have not let him down.
“We have to make sure we get back on target. The next game is an obvious target. But the most important thing is to win the league and we are capable of doing that. We are here for the long haul. We have youth on our side and we have strength on our side.
“You’ve got to accept that, in any championship race, there’ll be disappointments and set-backs along the way. You could be over-critical and say we threw three points away against West Ham but that doesn’t get you anywhere. What is done is done. Historically, we do okay in the second half of the season so we should be pleased to get to this point in the position we are.
The manager has hinted that he may refresh his side with a busy schedule ahead. Fletcher, Brown and Park are likely to come into contention for the first of three games against Villa in quick succession.
PREMIERSHIP RESULTS:
Fulham 0 - 0 West Ham; Arsenal 6 - 2 Blackburn; Liverpool 2 - 0 Watford; Manchester C. 0 - 2 Bolton; Middlesbrough 2 - 0 Charlton ; Newcastle U. 3 - 1 Tottenham; Portsmouth 3 - 1 Sheffield United; Reading 0 - 2 Everton; Wigan Athletic 2 - 3 Chelsea
MATCH REPORT…
Aston Villa 0 - 3 United
Ronaldo (58, 85) Scholes (64)
The Observer…This fixture provides about as much surprise as a Christmas present without wrapping paper. Not since 1995 have Manchester United lost at Villa Park in the league and a combination of Cristiano Ronaldo’s brilliance and an outstanding goal from Paul Scholes ensured that run did not come to an end.
Victory gives United 47 points, a total that after 19 games of the season has never failed to bring the title. Ferguson might not have been aware of that statistic but he did not need anyone to point out the significance of United’s position. ‘Perhaps that shows we shouldn’t believe Jose Mourinho,’ said the United manager. ‘He said Chelsea would be top at Christmas and they’re not. He had to apologise this week about lying about an Everton player [Andrew Johnson] so perhaps he should apologise again.’
United had failed to find any rhythm against an obdurate Aston Villa side in the first half, but the shackles were removed in spectacular style after the interval. Ronaldo ran from inside his own half to score 13 minutes after the restart, before Scholes thundered an unstoppable volley in off the underside of the crossbar to seal victory moments later. The latter goal prompted Edwin van der Sar to run to the halfway line to celebrate, such was the majesty of the strike. With Villa now reeling, United inflicted a final blow five minutes from time, Ronaldo finishing off a move that had started with Ryan Giggs on the edge of the Villa penalty area.
It was a moment that confirmed United’s second-half superiority, with the visitors’ exhilarating ability to turn defence into attack draining the last traces of belief from Martin O’Neill’s embattled side. It is now seven matches since Villa last won, a sequence that has checked the momentum that followed the manager’s arrival. With fixtures against Spurs on Boxing Day and the visit of Chelsea following a trip to Charlton, the festive period promises to bring Villa little cheer.
On this evidence, Sir Alex Ferguson can anticipate a much better return. He could afford to leave Wayne Rooney on the substitutes’ bench, a family bereavement earlier in the week cited as the reason for Ferguson resting his most penetrative player, and still win at a canter. Not that Ferguson was in danger of getting carried away by this success. The United manager showed he has lost none of his hunger when he subjected Giggs to the infamous hairdryer.
United were already two goals to the good when the Welshman, in possession on the left flank, attempted to pick out Louis Saha with a crossfield ball instead of the more obvious pass to Ronaldo. Ferguson’s face took on a distinctly purple hue as he stepped out of his touchline area to berate Giggs with a verbal barrage. Later Ferguson would offer much more welcoming words about Ronaldo. ‘He was a revelation,’ said Ferguson.
The Portuguese was the game’s outstanding performer, his superb skill allied to searing pace brutally exposed Villa’s defensive frailties. Indeed at times it was tempting to feel sorry for Villa’s right-back, Aaron Hughes, who was probably left feeling he had twisted blood on more than one occasion as Ronaldo wreaked havoc. It says much for Ronaldo that during a lacklustre first-half display from United, he was the one player who looked threatening in possession.
Villa might even have gone ahead early on, but Craig Gardner’s header, after Chris Sutton flicked on Gareth Barry’s free-kick, came back off the upright. The home side were posing problems at that point, with Gabriel Agbonlahor’s willing running upsetting the United defence. Ferguson admitted that he was ‘worried’ by ‘Villa’s energy’ in the opening 45 minutes, when Gavin McCann and Gardner snapped into tackles, but the United manager’s fears would be swiftly allayed.
Ronaldo, picking up possession inside his own half, strode purposefully forward before sashaying across the Villa area and firing a shot that struck Gary Cahill. The rebound dropped at the Portuguese’s feet and this time he struck a vicious drive inside Gabor Kiraly’s near post to notch United’s 2,000th goal under Ferguson. ‘It was the turning point in the game,’ said O’Neill. ‘We lost our shape after that and they punished us with a terrific second goal.’
The ‘terrific goal’ belonged to Scholes, whose response to McCann’s clearing header was to propel a thundering 20-yard volley beyond Kiraly. From then on United were playing exhibition football, with the third and final goal emblematic of the ease with which victory was achieved. Giggs initiated the attack before Scholes, Rooney and Neville combined to find Ronaldo, the mercurial winger tapping in at the far post in front of the United fans.
TEAM
United: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Fletcher , Scholes(O’Shea 85), Giggs(Silvestre 85); Park (Rooney 65), Saha
Subs: Kuszczak, Brown
POST SCRIPT
Sir Alex: “The players responded in the right way following the defeat at West Ham. I thought it was a fantastic performance against a very good Aston Villa team. We played with great determination and it was an excellent result for us.”
Martin O’Neill: “We played well up until the first goal. We took the game to United and I thought we were giving as good as we were getting. But it was disappointing to lose the first goal in the fashion we did. We lost a bit of shape after that. They then scored a terrific second goal through Scholes and we were chasing the game from then on. But we were up against a team that will be challenging very strongly for the Championship. Eventually Manchester United beat us quite well.”
