POG STANDARD
MANCHESTER United extended their unbeaten run to 17 matches as they pushed Aston Villa closer to the Premier League relegation trap-door at Villa Park last night.
Goals from Bruno Fernandes, Mason Greenwood and Paul Pogba secured a 3-0 victory for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men that leaves them just a point behind fourth-placed Leicester.
But for Villa, after an
11th match without a win in league and cup, it is looking increasingly desperate as they seem set for an instant return to the Championship.
The hosts – still four points adrift of safety – saw Trezeguet hit the post while Jack Grealish, who has been heavily linked with a summer move to United, squandered a good chance with the match goalless.
But, as so often this season, Dean Smith’s men were punished for their wastefulness. Just after Trezeguet’s shot came back off an upright, United went up the other end and took the lead in controversial style. Fernandes won a penalty after contact from Ezri Konsa. VAR upheld the decision, to Villa’s disgust, and Fernandes netted his eighth United goal from the spot. The Portugal midfielder then headed wide before Anthony Martial set up Greenwood (pictured), 18, to fire in right on half-time. Marcus Rashford saw a strike ruled out for offside before Pogba bagged a first of the season from distance as United firmed up their Champions League credentials, moving six points clear of sixthplaced Wolves and leaving Villa four games to save themselves.