Man Utd Player Ratings vs. Aston Villa: Defeat Worsened by Huge Injury Blow

Man Utd were helpless to stop Aston Villa as they went down 2-1 at Villa Park.

A tough day for Man Utd. / Ben Stansall/ AFP/Getty Images

Manchester United fell to a 2-1 defeat at Villa Park on Sunday as high-flying Aston Villa secured a 10th consecutive win in all competitions thanks to a brilliant brace from Morgan Rogers.

United controlled possession but failed to make it count, with Rogers proving decisive, bending in two superb goals either side of half-time. Matheus Cunha scored United’s lone goal—just his second in the Premier League this season.

Despite the loss, there were positives—including the senior debut of Jack Fletcher, son of iconic midfielder Darren—but these were overshadowed by the loss of midfielder Bruno Fernandes to injury at half-time.

Here are the United player ratings from the match, along with stats and a breakdown of how it unfolded.

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Man Utd Player Ratings vs. Aston Villa (3-4-2-1)

Mason Mount had a good game against Villa. / Getty/Ash Donelon

*Ratings provided by FotMob*

GK: Senne Lammens—6.2: Lammens was helpless for Rogers’s two strikes but produced a few solid saves elsewhere.

CB: Leny Yoro—6.5: Let Morgan Rogers cut inside too easily for Villa’s opener and struggled with him throughout. Hooked in the second half after a difficult outing.

CB: Ayden Heaven—7.0: Made a couple of excellent early blocks and looked composed throughout, doing a solid job of marshalling Ollie Watkins.

CB: Luke Shaw—6.5: Distributed the ball well, but struggled defensively against John McGinn, who often came out on top in their duels.

RWB: Diogo Dalot—7.2: Impressive on the right, showing why his versatility is vital for United. Got forward effectively and defended well, though his final ball could have been sharper.

CM: Bruno Fernandes—6.9: A solid if unspectacular first half, but had to go off injured at the break.

CM: Manuel Ugarte—6.7: Sloppy in possession, regularly muscled off the ball and second-best in duels. A poor game for the Uruguayan midfielder.

LWB: Patrick Dorgu—8.2: One of United’s best players, lively on the left flank going forward and solid defensively too. Got one assist and should have had another if it wasn’t for a Cunha miss.

AM: Matheus Cunha—8.2: Coolly finished United’s equaliser just before the break and was at the heart of almost everything positive for the Red Devils. Missed a huge chance to score again in the second half.

AM: Mason Mount—6.7: United’s standout in the second period, constantly trying to create chances in the final third, but ultimately unable to make them count.

ST: Benjamin Šeško—6.3: Making his first start since late November after a lengthy absence, Šeško spurned a good chance midway through the first half. He clearly needs time to readjust, but it was a disappointing display nonetheless.

Substitute	Rating (Out of 10)
Lisandro Martínez (46' for Fernandes)	6.6
Jack Fletcher (72' for Ugarte)	5.9
Joshua Zirkzee (72' for Šeško)	6.1
Shea Lacey (83' for Yoro)	N/A

Subs not used: Altay Bayındır (GK), Tom Heaton (GK), Tyler Fredricson, Tyrell Malacia, Bendito Mantato.

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Aston Villa (4-2-3-1)

Starting XI: Emiliano Martínez; Matty Cash, Ezra Konsa, Victor Lindelöf, Ian Maatsen; Amadou Onana, Boubacar Kamara; John McGinn, Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers; Ollie Watkins.

Subs used: Lucas Digne, Donyell Malen, Emi Buendía, Lamare Bogarde, Evann Guessand.

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Player of the Match: Morgan Rogers

Man Utd Player of the Match: Patrick Dorgu

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Aston Villa 2–1 Man Utd: How It Unfolded at Villa Park

Morgan Rogers stole the show at Villa Park. / Getty/James Gill

Heading into Monday night’s match at Villa Park, Aston Villa were heavy favourites. One of the most in-form teams in Europe, Unai Emery’s side were chasing a 10th consecutive win in all competitions.

Manchester United, meanwhile, though much improved from last season, have once again struggled for consistency.

Early on, it looked as though Villa would cruise. They burst out of the blocks, with Ollie Watkins denied a certain goal by an excellent block from young Ayden Heaven, before Morgan Rogers went close by cleverly flicking Ian Maatsen’s cross across a crowded penalty area, narrowly wide.

United soon settled, however, growing into the game and beginning to assert control. They dominated possession and moved the ball neatly, but as has been the case all season, struggled to turn that control into clear-cut chances. Their best opportunity of the first half fell to Benjamin Šeško in the 21st minute when he found himself through on goal, only to be denied by Emiliano Martínez, who rushed off his line to smother the effort.

The deadlock was broken by a moment of brilliance just before half-time. Rogers superbly brought down a lofted long ball before cutting inside Leny Yoro—perhaps too easily—and curling a magnificent effort into the top corner, leaving goalkeeper Senne Lammens rooted to the spot.

Despite their lack of incision, United were handed a route back into the contest moments later. Matty Cash was dispossessed by Patrick Dorgu on the edge of his own box after dithering in possession, and the ball fell kindly to Matheus Cunha, who finished calmly to restore parity heading into the break—a fair reflection of United’s dominance, even if they had not exactly cut Villa apart.

At the break, United captain Bruno Fernandes went off injured, having clearly been struggling in the later stages. In his absence, Mason Mount was given the role of chief creator. He came close to feeding Šeško, though the Slovenia international couldn’t quite reach Mount’s curled pass across the box and dragged a shot of his own wide in the 55th minute. Fernandes’s absence was barely felt early on as United started brightly.

But once again, it was Rogers who proved the difference maker with a near-identical finish, this time from closer in—guiding the ball into the top right after collecting a loose ball just inside the box. As Gary Neville put it perfectly: “It’s Morgan Rogers vs. Manchester United, and Morgan Rogers is winning.”

Villa weren’t at their best, yet their star man was decisive.

United almost immediately responded when Diogo Dalot forced a good save from Emi Martínez, and Dorgu’s follow-up was blocked.

In the 66th minute, Cunha then had a glorious chance to level, heading wide from point-blank range after Dorgu had teed him up perfectly. That proved to be United’s last big moment, and perhaps in Fernandes’s absence, they faded as the game went on, with the only real highlight being the senior debut of Fletcher—a sign that the club’s future looks in good hands, at least if his father is anything to go by.

For now, though, United sit seventh at Christmas, while Villa are third, just three points behind leaders Arsenal and one behind Manchester City.

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Aston Villa vs. Man Utd Half-Time Stats

Statistic	Aston Villa	Manchester United
Possession	40%	60%
Expected Goals (xG)	0.77	0.69
Total Shots	7	5
Shots on Target	3	3
Big Chances	3	2
Pass Accuracy	83%	84%
Fouls Committed	5	5
Corners	3	2

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Aston Villa vs. Man Utd Full Time Stats

Statistic	Aston Villa	Manchester United
Possession	43%	57%
Expected Goals (xG)	1.02	1.31
Total Shots	12	15
Shots on Target	4	6
Big Chances	3	3
Pass Accuracy	80%	86%
Fouls Committed	11	14
Corners	5	5

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