Manchester United 1-0 Aston Villa: 5 talking points as early McTominay goal seals the deal | FA Cup 2021-22
Manchester United kicked off their FA Cup campaign with a 1-0 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Monday. Scott McTominay scored a header from Fred's pass in the eighth minute to give the hosts an early lead while Villa could not restore parity despite their best efforts.
United were fortunate to have bagged the advantage as Aston Villa quickly grew into the game and had a couple of great chances in the first half. Ollie Watkins rattled his effort against the crossbar while Jacob Ramsey's deflected shot was just inches away from finding the net.
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@ManUtd π @AVFCOfficial
A @mctominay10 header is enough to send the home side through to the #EmiratesFACup fourth round π€© https://t.co/dCxsY2pYhr
Manchester United will face Middlesbrough in their fourth-round fixture next month. The Red Devils will clash with Steven Gerrard's side at Villa Park in a Premier League game on Saturday. The Aston Villa manager will be hoping to get his revenge in that home fixture.
As Manchester United make it into the next round of the FA Cup with a narrow win, we take a look at the five talking points from the game.
#5 Manchester United struggled against the speedy Villa attackers
United had a few lapses in the defensive third and were only saved by luck and poor finishing by the visiting side. Watkins pounced on Victor Lindelof's careless handling of a long ball and, after beating the defender one-on-one, unleashed a shot with his right foot.
He had David De Gea beat but the ball bounced back from the crossbar. Emiliano BuendΓa slalomed through a crowd of United defenders from the halfway line and John McGinn also tested the goalkeeper with a long-range shot.
There was no defensive solidarity in United's backline and Villa's players created chances virtually unopposed. The Red Devils were fortunate to come away with a hard-fought clean sheet in this game.
#4 Rangnick changes formation after loss to Wolves
United opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation against Villa although it didn't have a significant impact on the club's performance. Nonetheless, it is good to see that interim manager Ralf Rangnick is not married to a philosophy. The German coach is clearly ready to adapt in order to get the results.
Another frustrating day for Steven Gerrard against Manchester United π https://t.co/pjjJ4jLQc4
Midway through the game, they shifted to a midfield diamond which allowed them to control the game much better. Nonetheless, the Red Devils remained the second-best side for the better part of the game and there's much to improve at both ends of the pitch.