Manchester United Maintain Firm Grip on 3rd Place with Decisive 3-1 Defeat of Aston Villa

Manchester United solidified their position in the Premier League's top 3 with a 3-1 victory over Aston Villa at Old Trafford. The win was spearheaded by a virtuoso performance from Bruno Fernandes, who recorded his 100th assist in all competitions.

The Portuguese midfielder played a pivotal role, setting up goals for Antony and Marcus Rashford to help United bounce back from an early Villa equalizer. This crucial result extends United's unbeaten run in the league to six matches, further cementing their status as one of the form teams in the division.

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United took the lead in the 7th minute when Fernandes found Antony with a pinpoint pass, and the Brazilian winger calmly slotted the ball past Emiliano Martínez in the Villa goal. However, the visitors leveled the scores shortly before half-time through Leon Bailey, who capitalized on a defensive lapse to fire home.

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The second half belonged to United, who regained the lead in the 61st minute. Once again, it was Fernandes who was the architect, threading a sublime pass through to Rashford, who made no mistake in slotting the ball into the net.

Alejandro Garnacho came off the bench to seal the victory for United in the 89th minute, firing home from close range after good work from Fernandes and Rashford. The young Argentine's goal capped off a memorable afternoon for the Red Devils, who now sit firmly in third place in the Premier League table.

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United manager Erik ten Hag was full of praise for his side's performance, highlighting the influence of Fernandes and the team's resilience in bouncing back from the early setback.