Morgan Rogers brace boosts Aston Villa to 10th straight win at Man Utd expense

By Simon Peach, Press Association Chief Football Writer

Morgan Rogers’ brilliant brace helped Aston Villa secure a 10th successive win in all competitions as Unai Emery’s Premier League title contenders triumphed 2-1 against Manchester United.

A week on from sealing victory at West Ham by following up a fine finish with a stunning strike, the 23-year-old was at it again as Villa headed into Christmas within three points of leaders Arsenal.

Rogers showed skill and confidence when cutting in from the left to bend home a beautiful strike late in a first half that that ended with Matheus Cunha levelling for United after Matty Cash was dispossessed.

But Villa were not to be denied a seventh straight Premier League victory as Rogers hammered home his second after the break.

United were without seven first-team players at Villa Park and their second loss in 11 matches was compounded by an injury to their captain.

Bruno Fernandes appeared to tweak a hamstring and was withdrawn at half-time of a match from which natural replacement Kobbie Mainoo was absent after picking up a calf complaint on the eve of the game.

Play got off to a frenetic start at a rocking Villa Park, where Cunha struck narrowly wide from 20 yards before Ayden Heaven put his body on the line to stop Ollie Watkins at the other end.

The teenager produced another block when the striker got away another shot after Senne Lammens stopped a John McGinn drive, with Rogers flicking an Ian Maatsen strike narrowly wide from a corner.

United survived that period and Benjamin Sesko, making his first start since a knee injury, should have done better when the ball fell kindly for him, only for returning Emiliano Martinez to spread himself well.

The returning Villa goalkeeper – a summer target of United – was later cleared to continue after taking a knee to the head from Cash, but Fernandes would not last the 90 minutes.

The United skipper pulled up having with an apparent hamstring issue and did not return for a second half that began at 1-1 after both sides scored just before the break.

Rogers landed the first blow as he somehow kept a McGinn pass in play and cut in from the left, making the most of the space afforded to him by Leny Yoro to expertly curl home from just inside the corner of the box.

It was a beautiful 45th-minute opener that was undone in the third minute of stoppage time.

Cash dilly-dallied under pressure from Patrick Dorgu, who managed to prod the ball on for Cunha to slam past Martinez from an acute angle.

United continued brightly after half-time and Fernandes’ replacement Lisandro Martinez, deployed as a holding midfielder, went close after winning the ball.

But Amorim’s Red Devils lacked the quality of a player like Rogers, who put Villa back ahead in the 57th minute.

Youri Tielemans swept in a hopeful ball from the left that was cleared as far as the England international, who Yoro failed to prevent rifling home in front of the Holte End.

There was an incredible din that United again attempted to silence, with Martinez denying Diogo Dalot and Dorgu seeing his follow-up bravely blocked by Cash.

Cunha proved a handful and sent a header into the ground and just off target as Villa wobbled, with Jack Fletcher, son of United favourite Darren, and Shea Lacey brought on for their debuts.

United tried to unsettle from long throws and saw penalty appeals rejected, with Cunha and Mount trying their luck as Villa held on for victory.