Fernandes stars as Man Utd down Aston Villa to boost Champions League charge

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-united/ppjDR086/"]United[/a] may have wobbled with a defeat at St James’ Park in their last outing, but a return to Old Trafford promised much.[/p][p]The Red Devils controlled much of the first half, but finding a breakthrough was proving elusive, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/traore-amad/I5Rhq1WL/"]Amad Diallo[/a] found out when he was inches away from getting his head on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/matheus-cunha/bq5QzRdb/"]Matheus Cunha[/a]’s teasing delivery from the left. [/p][p]It was actually an Amad header which served as the game’s first big chance, when one of the smallest players on the pitch turned a header goalwards, which forced [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-emiliano/ziCcc5jM/"]Emiliano Martinez[/a] into a fine one-handed save to divert the ball away to safety.[/p][p]The first half certainly fell some way short of living up to its Super Sunday billing, with a shot from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbeumo-bryan/8KDrOl80/"]Bryan Mbeumo[/a] which was closer to going out for a throw-in than nestling in the back of the net, somewhat summing up just how poor the opening 45 minutes were.[/p][p]That lack of quality was never more evident than on the stroke of half-time, when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dalot-diogo/rZZKJVOS/"]Diogo Dalot[/a] ghosted in behind [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/digne-lucas/v9Ux4sua/"]Lucas Digne[/a] and opened the goal up after a lovely first touch, only for his second touch to be a wild swing of his left boot, which saw his strike rise a long way over the crossbar.[/p][embed guid="9fce1102-2987-4edc-8885-d41522fc8d09" url="https://x.com/ManUtd/status/2033212071060357584" social-type="twitter" /][p]United had no such struggles after the break, nosing ahead within 10 minutes of the restart.[/p][p][b]There was an element of simplicity about how it arrived - from a set-piece - but there was nothing simplistic about [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/casemiro/Ukeq3c0b/"]Casemiro[/a]’s header as he darted across the front post to guide [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandes-bruno/GYvAMDm2/"]Bruno Fernandes[/a]’ corner past a desperate Martinez.[/b][/p][p]That goal seemed to be the wake-up call [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aston-villa/W00wmLO0/"]Villa[/a] needed, and they almost hit back straight away when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/onana-amadou/roId3gPf/"]Amadou Onana[/a] stung the palms of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lammens-senne/UFssg7X4/"]Senne Lammens[/a].[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="e95c04dd-0bfa-4377-9c02-1cb134dc4cac" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="57e66ceb-714c-4bca-9e71-4f4e5842c314" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p][b]The United stopper was helpless just moments later, though, as the unmarked [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/barkley-ross/Stsozgbg/"]Ross Barkley[/a] swept home on his left foot at the far post to quickly dash the mood inside Old Trafford. [/b][/p][p][b]But just as quickly as the hosts lost the lead, they managed to regain it. It was little surprise to see Fernandes involved, threading an inch-perfect pass in behind for Cunha to stride clear on goal, and the Brazilian made no mistake in slotting into the far corner.[/b][/p][embed guid="503fa167-83a7-4f0d-bb2a-bef320b08537" url="https://x.com/ManUtd/status/2033208249550262587" social-type="twitter" /][p]That took Fernandes to 16 Premier League assists this term, more than any United player has ever managed in a single campaign, [b]and the game was wrapped up nine minutes from time when substitute [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sesko-benjamin/QDozP4IN/"]Benjamin Sesko[/a] came off the bench and, by virtue of a double deflection, doubled the hosts’ lead.[/b][/p][p]Victory moves United three points clear of Villa, who must dust themselves down ahead of the second leg of their UEFA Europa League last 16 tie with Lille.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandes-bruno/GYvAMDm2/"]Bruno Fernandes[/a] (Manchester United)[/b][/p][image alt="Momentum" id="ed3be153-7850-4b09-bc51-f223da53dcb3" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="cfeec92d-54a6-4b2a-bfad-015338851eaf" original-width="1920" original-height="1080" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/aston-villa-W00wmLO0/manchester-utd-ppjDR086/summary/stats/?mid=UgXnfPvC"]Catch up on the match stats with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]