vs
Man Utd 3-1 Aston Villa
Manchester United maintained their six-point lead at the
Premiership summit in impressive style. Ji-Sung Park's low drive
opened the scoring early on and Michael Carrick's first goal for
United doubled the advantage two minutes later.
Michael Carrick celebrates after scoring Man
Utd's second
Carrick turned creator to cross for Cristiano Ronaldo to head home
at the far post 10 minutes before half-time. Gabriel Agbonlahor
pulled a goal back for Villa from close range after 51 minutes, but
United were a class apart.
Henrik Larsson was handed his first Premiership start after a
goalscoring debut in the FA Cup against Villa. And he almost hit
the target after four minutes, meeting Gary Neville's cross
perfectly, only for Villa keeper Thomas Sorensen to save his header
diving low to his right.
United did not have to wait long for the opener, however, and it
came after 11 minutes. Park scored with a right-foot finish after
Villa were troubled by another Neville cross and Gary Cahill
presented the South Korean with his opportunity. And United added a
second two minutes later, when Park set up Carrick for another low
drive that Sorensen touched but could not save.
United were out of sight 11 minutes before half-time when a
calamitous passage of defending by Villa was deservedly punished.
The Premiership leaders made a mess of a short corner, but Gavin
McCann presented the ball to Park, who fed Carrick and his perfect
cross was headed in at the far post by Ronaldo.
Milan Baros had battled gamely up front, and he offered Villa the
slenderest of lifelines after 51 minutes with a strong run and
cross that left youngster Agbonlahor with a simple finish from
three yards.
United continued to dominate, and almost added a fourth after 67
minutes through Louis Saha, who had replaced the tiring Park.
Neville unlocked Villa's defence with another right-wing raid, and
when Sorensen failed to hold his cross, it took a desperate
goal-line block by Cahill to deny the France striker.
United were threatening to score with every attack, Sorensen saving
brilliantly from Larsson and the unlucky Wayne Rooney striking the
bar with a curling 20-yard effort. Rooney's frustration at failing
to hit the target had grown, and he was rightly shown a yellow card
by referee Howard Webb for a senseless lunge at Baros.
