aston villa 0-2 manure......

[andy villa]

Manchester United moved to within six points of leaders Chelsea after cruising to a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa.

Goals from Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney took United's unbeaten league run to seven matches after the win at Villa Park, as the home side rarely caused their visitors many problems in the lunchtime kick-off.

Villa boss David O'Leary made two changes to his side, with Mark Delaney replacing injured captain Olof Mellberg, who was out with a groin problem.

Midfielder Steven Davis - a reported target for The Red Devils - was recalled for Lee Hendrie, who was dropped to the substitutes' bench.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, meanwhile, made one change to his side by bringing in Park Ji-Sung for Alan Smith in midfield, with the former Leeds United man having been sidelined with flu.

On a sunny early afternoon at Villa Park, the home side's brief early effort to make an impact proved fleeting, as United looked comfortable and in control in the first half.

It took less than eight minutes for the visitors to fire a warning at their Midlands hosts, as Park took a neat through ball from Rooney before striking the far post after beating Villans goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen with his low strike.

The Red Devils would not be denied two minutes later, as Darren Fletcher did brilliantly to pick out van Nistelrooy with a fine ball forward.

Having got goal-side of Villa defender Aaron Hughes, the Dutchman surged past the Northern Ireland captain before clipping the ball over the onrushing Sorensen to give United the lead.

It was from that point that United claimed a firm grip on the contest, as the visitors were allowed to keep possession with relative ease during various stages of the half, with Rooney failing to find the target from Park's lay-off on the edge of Villa's box.

Paul Scholes was then denied by Sorensen after connecting with a header from Ryan Giggs's cross before the Wales international struck a shot wide of goal from John O'Shea's lay-off.

The threat of van Nistelrooy surfaced again when the former PSV Eindhoven hit-man's overhead effort from the edge of Villa's box brought a fine save from Sorensen, with the Dane tipping over the crossbar.

Rooney then squandered a simple close range chance from the ensuing corner before Delaney needed to block away Park's shot after the pacey South Korean took a fine though ball from Rio Ferdinand.

Villa offered little to cause United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar problems in the opening 45 minutes, with Davis striking an effort wide just after the half hour mark.

The Northern Ireland international then set up Liam Ridgewell just before the break but his headed effort was easily saved by the Dutchman, as United took a deserved one-goal lead into the break.

The introduction of Juan Pablo Angel for James Milner initially made little difference to proceedings following the restart, as United increased their lead on 51 minutes.

After a headed knockdown from van Nistelrooy, Park exposed Villa's frail defending with a neat run to the edge of the home side's box.

The Asian star then slipped a pass to an unmarked Rooney before the England man struck a fine right foot shot past Sorensen and off the post for 2-0.

United should have made it three moments later, but Giggs woefully struck high and over Villa's goal from close range after Rooney picked out his run into the box from the left.

It was at that stage of the match that O'Leary's side created some excellent goalscoring opportunities.

Milan Baros had been kept quiet for most of the contest, but from the Czech striker's looping byline cross and Angel's headed knockdown, Gareth Barry cleverly had a turn and shot that just flew just wide, as van der Sar was left frozen on his line.

Villa then went even closer to claiming a goal back, but Baros was unlucky to strike Angel's low cross off the crossbar following Davis's excellent cross-field ball to the Colombian.

Van der Sar was busier in goal after the break, as he needed to make saves from Angel and twice from Gavin McCann, while Delaney needed to block out Park right in front of Villa's goal after van Nistelrooy tried to set up his team-mate.

In fact, United were unlucky not to extend their lead by the end, with Rooney forcing a good save from Sorensen with an acrobatic effort, while substitute Cristiano Ronaldo failed to make the most of a headed opportunity.

In injury time, van Nistelrooy should have scored his second of the match after an audaciously-taken cross from Ronaldo, but his header went wide of the far post.

In the end, United were deserved winners of a match that Villa failed to contest for much of the 90 minutes.

[hanuma]

dissapointed with the performance?

[andy villa]

first half i was livid...

any fcuking fool can see that we are rubbish when we play 451 from how we have been this season when we have played it...

about 3 shots in 4 games says it all when we have played it...

so how is it that everyone and his dog can understand that how we have played when going 451 proves that we are **** when we play it, because we are frightened to support the attack, the striker gets isolated and then the attack comes straight back at us, yet dol cant see this?!?

so i was fuming the first half....

when we shifted to 442 in the second half, we looked much more dangerous on the attack and we also didnt have to defend as much... we were much better all round.. just like we were against bolton last week when we equalised after chaning to 442....

but today, we were **** first half, as predicted at 451..

we changed to 442, kudos to dol for changing it, and we played much better...

we deserved to lose overall, but the second half performance was more like what we need...

even with fit players manure would have given us a torrid time, so 2-0 considering, isnt too bad in the end and the second half positives are there for all to see...

lest hope dol is one of them...

[andy villa]

dol is defeated....

hes had his whole ideas and motivation crushed by the ******* running the club, a man caught on camera laughing just after the second goal went in.....

hes a dead man walking in my opinion...

[hanuma]

if a takeover happens a claudio will go down.

[andy villa]

takeover wont happen...

ellis is trying his best to **** it up and is wibbling to the press about whipping them at tennis...

nothings changed and ellis is here to stay until he dies...

dol will also be gone after the transfer window has closed too...

unless he gets a couple of results which will just delay the inevitable..

[Mr Brightside]

I didn't see any of the game as I was working. Apparently, Utd were very comfortable and should have won by more (same old story). We always enjoy playing Villa for some reason, and especially at that Villa Park. We should move there for our home games as we never seem to lose there, whether it be for Premiership games or cup ties !

That's 22 goals between Ruud and Roon now. They are seriously starting to click. I think they'll knock in 50 between them this season.

As for Villa, how did young Davis do ? Terrific young player.

[andy villa]

davis was quiet but produced a wonderful first time pass to set up angel who then set up baros who then hit the bar...

hes a superb talent...