Manchester United exacted revenge on Aston Villa this evening, beating them 4-2 in the Caraboa cup.
Confusion at the back for Villa almost gifted a chance to Martial but the keeper recovered well.
Villa were trying to make runs down the left.
A brilliant ball to Malacia had to be put behind for a corner by Villa in some last ditch defending.
It was United’s second corner of the game but they were wasteful with their set pieces.
United were pressing well and after winning back the ball, Rashford made a good run but Fred took too long to dispatch the ball and he was caught offside, he squared to Fernandes and they netted but it was ruled out.
United were dominating but they needed that first goal.
A good chance for the Reds was deflected over the bar. Again, United wasted their corner.
Villa were growing into the game and they won a couple of corners.
Their first shot was high and wide though and no trouble for Dubravka.
Rashford had an opportunity as he danced around a few defenders and the fans called for him to shoot from 25 yards out but instead he played it to Fred whose cross was poor.
The Reds won a free kick just outside the box, slightly left of centre, but Rashford’s strike deflected off the wall and was comfortably cleared by Villa.
In injury time Bruno had an attempt at goal from a free kick and though it was a tight angle it curled goalwards and the keeper had to punch it away.
Villa came out fighting in the second half and as United lost their shape, the visitors found the goal, Ollie Watkins slotted it past Dubravka.
United instantly responded with a brilliant attack down the right, the ball was squared to Martial who buried it to draw level.
The game intensified and Bruno found himself squaring up to a Villa player after a foul that the ref didn’t call.
Rashford pressured Villa into a mistake and tried to play in Martial but it was a little too close to the keeper.
After a calm first half, all the action came in the second half and Villa took the lead again with a header finding the far corner.
Rashford had a chance to equalise but his shot was straight into the side netting.
But moments later and after waiting on the edge patiently for his defenders to pick out his and Garnacho’s run, Rashford was United’s hero as he drew them back level assisted by Garnacho.
United were awake now and Bruno saw his chance, he turned, he shot but it was well saved by the keeper who also saved a good header from the resulting corner.
Committing players forward left them open at the back and a few risky moments ensued for the Reds but for the first time in the game United went ahead. It was Bruno Fernandes who fired it home in front of the Stretford end.
Garnacho made a fantastic run, he was the bright spark in this United side as he danced round defenders and went one on one with them.
A brilliant strike from Eriksen rattled the crossbar and later Dalot’s header went just wide.
Though it had been a rough start for the Reds, they finished dominantly as Scott McTominay with a brilliant strike made it 4-2.
Team: Dubravka, Lindelof (Martinez), Maguire, Fernandes, Martial (Garnacho), Rashford (Casemiro), Van De Beek, Malacia, Fred (Eriksen), Dalot, McTominay