FIRMLY IN THE RACE
Man U move level with Liverpool after Villa win
>> LONDON: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hailed Manchester United’s progress over the past year after a 2-1 win over Aston Villa took them level on points with Liverpool at the top of the Premier League.
A year ago to the day, United lost 2-0 at Arsenal to fall 24 points behind the English champions, having played two games more.
Another season contending just for a top-four finish looked in store for Solskjaer’s men after winning only two of their opening six league games.
But as all the other contenders have stumbled in recent weeks, the Red Devils have now taken 26 from a possible 30 points to mount an unexpected title challenge.
“Of course we are happy with what we are doing. We have shown we have improved a lot in a year,” said Solskjaer. “We are getting fitter and fitter and stronger and stronger.”
Bruno Fernandes has been the key figure in transforming United’s fortunes over the past 12 months and the Portuguese again provided the winner to edge out a rapidly improving Villa side.
Anthony Martial forced Emiliano Martinez into an excellent save high to his left inside 10 minutes before Fred, Paul Pogba and Fernandes fired efforts just off target.
The breakthrough came five minutes before the break as Pogba and Marcus Rashford combined to send Aaron Wan-Bissaka free down the right and his cross was headed home by Martial at the near post.
Villa were on a five-game unbeaten run themselves to earn a place in the top six and showed why with their start to the second half as United were forced back.
Jack Grealish was at the heart of all Villa’s best work going forward and it was from his cross that Bertrand Traore equalised.
However, Dean Smith’s men quickly undid their good work as a soft challenge from Douglas Luiz on Pogba was deemed enough for a penalty by referee Michael Oliver.
Fernandes’ near-perfect penalty record continued as he slotted the spotkick just out of the reach of Martinez for his 15th goal of the season.
“It’s early on in the season and we shouldn’t be carried away,” added Solskjaer. “The league this season is going to be so tight.”
Son bags 100th Spurs goal
South Korea forward Son Heung-Min scored his 100th Tottenham Hotspur goal in a 3-0 win over Leeds United that hauled his team back into the Premier League title race yesterday.
The South Korea international grabbed the second goal for Jose Mourinho’s side after Harry Kane’s penalty had opened the scoring at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Reaching his century of Tottenham goals was a landmark moment for Son, who is the 18th player to score 100 in all competitions for the north London club and the first from outside the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Toby Alderweireld scored Tottenham’s third goal as they climbed to third place.
Meanwhile Fulham’s trip to Burnley today has been postponed due to fresh Covid-19 cases at the London club, the league said yesterday.
“The match between Burnley v Fulham, due to be played at 1200 GMT on Sunday 3 January, has been postponed following a Premier League Board meeting this morning,” the league said in a statement.