Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford were on target as Manchester United came from 2-1 down to beat Aston Villa 4-2 at Old Trafford. The Portuguese midfielder was in terrific form after an electrifying second half saw six goals and some wonderful attacking football from both teams.
If this game in particular taught Erik ten Hag anything, it will be the importance of Bruno. He can be United’s best attacking outlet but that depends on two conditions. One, he has to be playing in that number ten role. In the first period here he was pushed out to the right, as Donny van de Beek occupied his usual position.
The entire game was flat, but Fernandes was far more effective in the middle. He assisted Anthony Martial for United’s equaliser after a run down the right, but in the middle of the pitch he can dictate things, and become a goalscoring threat. He scored the winner due to being at the right place at the right time and capitalising on a defensive blunder from Villa.
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But the second condition, which became apparent again tonight, is that he is so much better when Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t in the team. It’s a problem the Portugal manager Fernando Santos will have to deal with again this winter and one that Ten Hag would rather not have. Illness kept CR7 out of tonight’s match, and United were able to score four on a night when they could have had far more.
The heart they showed will please their manager especially when you consider they fell behind twice on the night. Ollie Watkins was played through by Jacob Ramsey early in the second half before finding the net with a smart left-footed finish.
Moments later though, Manchester United were level as Bruno Fernandes was played through and he squared to Anthony Martial for a simple finish. Villa’s high line caught them out from kick off and the French forward couldn’t miss from six yards out. 19 seconds after they went in front, the scores were level.
But Aston Villa came back with a bang and after Unai Emery had thrown on Emi Buendia and Leon Bailey, the latter played a key part in their second goal. A cross was floated to the back post where he was waiting and having scored against United at the weekend, he headed the ball across the six-yard box, where Diogo Dalot turned into his own net.
Marcus Rashford then capitalised as Tyrone Mings slipped in the box and instead of going down under the challenge he fired home to level the scores again. After a dismal first half, the second period came to life. Having been called back up to England’s World Cup squad, this goal rounds off a brilliant day for the English forward.
Fernandes was denied after a low drive before firing another effort wide, but he would eventually find the net. United had got themselves on top after their star names had joined the mix and after Olsen put his side in hot water with a shocking pass, Fernandes deflected effort found its way past Villa’s second choice keeper.
Then with seconds to spare, another United starlet showed exactly what he can do. Alejandro Garnacho had terrorised the Villa defence from the bench, and then he whipped in the perfect ball for Scott McTominay to finish and round off an impressive night for the Red Devils. Fernandes was excellent, Rashford rounded off a perfect day and the young star Garnacho showed his boss just what he is all about.
