United Crush Villa
UNITED recovered from an early scare to ease to victory over nine-man Aston villa. The home side had taken the lead through Gabriel Agbonlahor, but United big guns Wayne Rooney (two) Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs ensured the Reds jumped back up to second in the Premier League table.
With United 3-1 up, Nigel Reo-Coker was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 60th minute before goalkeeper Scott Carson was dismissed in the 66th minute for a professional foul on Carlos Tevez.
This was not the United who had been grinding out 1-0 wins earlier in the campaign but the version capable of producing free-flowing football even though the rested Cristiano Ronaldo only featured for the final 15 minutes.
Villa started well and after 12 minutes the United defence was breached in the league for the first time in 611 minutes when Agbonlahor put Villa ahead.
Craig Gardner over-hit his centre but Ashley Young managed to keep the ball in play and his ball back into the box picked out Agbonlahor whose glancing header flew into the corner of the net for his fourth league goal of the campaign.
Ferguson’s side started to find their rhythm and a long ball from Ferdinand picked out a well-timed run from Rooney but as the ball dropped over his shoulder he failed to make any contact and the ball ran out for a goal-kick.
But after 36 minutes Rooney brought United back on level terms. Nani was the creator with a low ball across the Villa area and Rooney got in front of Zat Knight and Gardner to tuck away the easiest of chances at the far post.
A minute before the interval Rooney put United ahead. Tevez’s superb pass found Rooney in space 12 yards out and he gave Carson no chance with a low drive.
United were now rampant and in first half injury-time a goal from Ferdinand increased their lead. Gerard Pique’s initial header from a Nani corner was cleared by Young off the line but Ferdinand was first to react to the rebound and Gardner only succeeded in turning his shot into the roof of the net via the crossbar.
Villa briefly improved after the break, and Agbonlahor raced on to a Barry pass and skipped past Van der Sar but he had been driven out wide and Pique was able to clear his eventual cross cum shot.
The home side were reduced to 10 men after 60 minutes when Reo-Coker picked up his second yellow card for a late challenge on Anderson. Then Villa were left with only nine players when Carson brought down Tevez after 67 minutes and was red-carded by Styles.
Number two keeper Stuart Taylor came on for Young - and his first touch saw him save Rooney’s low spot-kick. But United were not to be denied and with 16 minutes left Laursen could only head Giggs’ deflected shot past Taylor.
Aston Villa: Carson, Mellberg, Knight (Taylor 67), Laursen, Bouma, Gardner (Maloney 53), Reo-Coker, Barry, Young, Agbonlahor, Moore (Osbourne 54).
Subs Not Used: Davies, Petrov.
Sent Off: Reo-Coker (60), Carson (66).
Booked: Reo-Coker, Young.
Goals: Agbonlahor 13.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Pique, Brown, Ferdinand, Evra, Nani, Anderson, Scholes (O'Shea 77), Giggs (Ronaldo 76), Tevez (Fletcher 73), Rooney.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Simpson.
Booked: Scholes, Nani.
Goals: Rooney 36, 44, Ferdinand 45, Giggs 75.
Att: 42,640
Ref: Rob Styles (Hampshire).