The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
United see off Villa to join rivals on top
MANCHESTERUTD 2 ASTONVILLA 1
Man chester United moved level on points with Premier League leaders Liverpool as Bruno Fernandes’ penalty got 2021 off to a winning start against Aston Villa last night.
An impressive run of seven wins in nine topflight matches saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side end New Year’s Day in second spot – their highest position at the turn of the year since Sir Alex Ferguson retired as champion in 2012-13.
The United great was in the stands as the current crop join rivals Liverpool on 33 points, with Fernandes scoring from the spot shortly after Bertrand T ra ore cancelled out Anthony Martial’s effort to secure a 2-1 win against Villa.
The in-form sides played out an entertaining New Year’s Day encounter at an empty Old Trafford, where fine goalkeeping from David De Gea and Emiliano Martinez prevented the scoreline from being far greater.
United edged the first half and went into the break with a deserved lead as Martial – in for the suspended Edinson Cavani – directed home Aaron Wan- Bissaka’s cross after Tyrone Mings failed to clear.
But Dean Smith’s Villa have been hugely impressive this season and translated early secondhalf pressure into a goal, with Traore netting after United were caught napping from a quicklytaken free-kick.
The score was not level for long, though, as Fernandes converted from the spot after Douglas Luiz was adjudged to have brought down Paul Pogba in the box.
Play swung from end to end for the remainder of the match and Eric Bailly produced a key block to deny substitute Keinan Davis levelling deep in stoppage time.
EVERTON 0 WESTHAM 1
West Ham boss David Moyes registered his first win at Goodison Park as an opposition manager as Tomas Soucek’s fortuitous late goal beat his former club Everton 1-0.
The Scot had lost all four previous appearances by an aggregate of 12- 1 on a ground where he had success until leaving for Manchester United in 2013.
If home fans had been allowed in – Liverpool moved into Tier 3 this week which means the only two remaining Premier League grounds who could previously still admit supporters had to close their doors – the way the game played out would have been familiar.
Moyes made a habit of making the Toffees hard to beat, keeping games tight and securing scrappy 1- 0 wins when he had to and to that end this was classic.
It was about the only thing which was classic in a dreary encounter which saw both teams enter the new year with a whimper rather than a bang.
However, having done their primary job of not conceding against an Everton team who had four wins on the bounce, the Hammers benefited from some good fortune when Aaron Cresswell’s mis- hit shot deflected off Yerry Mina and into the path of Soucek, who could not miss.
The table is so tight that the win still left the Hammers in 10 th place, albeit just three points behind third-placed Leicester.