MANCHESTER UNITED may yet be playing Champions League football next season. Aston Villa will definitely be in the Championship
Marcus Rashford’s latest lovely goal kept United’s hopes of a top-four finish alive. Villa’s first defeat of the campaign came against United. Their 24th and latest ended their 29-year stay in the top flight.
Villa went down without a fight. Their players put up too little resistance. It was left to the supporters to highlight the plight of one of England’s great clubs. One banner detailed the statistics of a shocking season. “Four managers, three wins, two CEOs,” it said. Another illustrated their fall from grace. “From Rotterdam to Rotherham,” it read.
Villa won the European Cup in Rotterdam in 1982. They will go to Rotherham in the second tier next season. They may go to Burton, too. They have gone for a Burton in a dreadful year of awful signings, poor performances, wretched results and utter mismanagement at all levels.
“It is devastating,” said caretaker boss Eric Black. “We have to dust ourselves down, take it on the chin and get this club back to where it should be.”
It will be no easy task. He said he was “humbled” by the support of the vocal Villa fans. Few of the players could be bothered to go and applaud them on the final whistle. “There is a disconnect,” Black said.
Villa are a dysfunctional club.
Louis van Gaal rested five players at the start of a week where United could reach the FA Cup final. Black rearranged the deckchairs on the Titanic. It was all he could do. Villa were a sinking ship months ago.
Wayne Rooney started for the first time in two months. He lasted 66 minutes. He warmed up for stiffer tests and was disappointed to go off. “He was angry because he wanted to play 90 minutes,” said Van Gaal. “That is a good spirit.”
With Anthony Martial rested, Rooney had a new sidekick. Years ago, United had a bit of R’n’R in attack when Rooney was paired with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Now they have it in the shape of Rooney and Rashford. The 30-year-old and the teenager started together for the first time. Both played a part in a lovely goal. Rooney picked out Antonio Valencia with a 50-yard ball from a free-kick
The returning right-back, making his first start since October, supplied the centre. Rashford provided the delightful finish, flicking the ball in for his seventh goal in 12 games.
“A superb goal,” said Van Gaal, but Ciaran Clark made it too easy. He stood off Rashford. It is the story of a season. Villa give opponents time and space. It is a recipe for relegation.
Rashford should have scored a second, steering a shot wide when Juan Mata found him. Brad Guzan denied the Spaniard and palmed Memphis Depay’s shot on to the post. Yet that was the sum total of United’s efforts against one of the worst teams in the top division’s history.
No wonder United are almost certain to finish with their lowest goals total in the Premier League era. Rashford’s goal was their 40th of the season. It came on April 16. United reached that mark on December 9 in Sir Alex Ferguson’s final year.
“We have to give more entertainment to the fans,” Van Gaal admitted. They were almost made to pay for their attacking impotence. Villa substitute Rudy Gestede volleyed against the post. Clark had a header saved by David de Gea.
Yet the fact they went 84 minutes without an effort on target told a tale in itself.
MAN OF THE MATCH: MARCUS RASHFORD – A terrific finish from a fantastic talent. What a start to his career.
MAN UTD: De Gea; Valencia, Smalling, Blind, Rojo; Schneiderlin, Fellaini; Mata (Fosu-Mensah, 89), Rooney (Lingard, 66), Depay; Rashford (Martial, 76).
ASTON VILLA: Guzan; Hutton, Lescott, Clark, Cissokho; Bacuna, Westwood; Sinclair, Gueye, Richardson (Gestede, 82); Ayew.
Ref: K Friend
No comments:
Post a Comment