Source: Daily_Mail
Manchester United 0 Villa 1: Gabriel Agbonlahor the hero as Villa break Old Trafford hoodoo
On an Old Trafford evening of seething frustration, Manchester United squandered their chance to stand alongside Chelsea at the peak of the Premier League. One fine goal was all it took to send Aston Villa home in triumph to the West Midlands, leaving United to curse their fate and their failings.[LNB]Sir Alex Ferguson accepted defeat with decent grace. He has never been one of the game's worst losers, and while he made an attempt to criticise the referee for a lack of added time, it was a token effort, nothing serious. He knew that the fault lay with his own players, that anything else was mere distraction.[LNB]Martin O'Neill was similarly discreet, despite Villa having beaten United at Old Trafford for the first time since 1983. He played it down, praised his players for their industry but insisted that the gap between his humble brood and England's finest teams remains almost as wide as ever. [LNB] Jump to it: Agbonlahor beats the United rearguard to Ashley Young's cross[LNB]But his Villa side have now beaten United, Chelsea and Liverpool ofthe so-called 'Big Four'. Arsenal will be faced later this month withgenuine confidence. For all kinds of reasons, it was a significantresult last night.[LNB]Yet, the prospects had been quite different. Chelsea's fritteredpoints against Everton a little earlier had left United ready to maketheir telling move. Victory would have seen them sharing the summit,yet victory was tossed aside with every fumbled chance, the fumblingsruinously expensive. [LNB]That splendid goal altered everything. Created by Ashley Young andconverted by Gabriel Agbonlahor in the 21st minute, it gave Villasomething which they could defend with intelligent determination.[LNB]It arrived as Villa were living uncomfortably, off their wits, andit heaved an enormous spanner into United's works. A ball was playedwide left, from where Young released the kind of disruptive cross forwhich strikers yearn.[LNB]Agbonlahor infiltrated the central defenders and his glancing headerwas guided to perfection. The stadium fell quiet as a tomb, save forthe carolling platoon of Villa fans raucously celebrating theirunexpected fortune.[LNB] Firing blanks: Wayne Rooney hit the bar [LNB]So the challenge was stark, and United proved unequal. Their moodwas not improved by the fact that Wayne Rooney was especially culpable.[LNB]While his industry was not in doubt, he was their most falliblefinisher. Worse, he was booked for a dive which was as cynical as itwas outrageous.[LNB]The shabby offence merely added to United's agonising evening. Yet,the overture had gone far better than United could have hoped. [LNB]The pre-match announcement of Chelsea's mishap was greeted with arather superior roar. The unspoken feeling at Old Trafford was that akind of natural order was being restored. With United's best formtraditionally arriving in the second half of the season, the Theatre ofDreams was the cheeriest of places.[LNB] Say my name: Agbonlahor wheels away after scoring[LNB]There was also a plea from the stadium announcer to do the right thing by Ryan Giggs in tonight's Sports Personality poll.[LNB]'Let's vote for the Legend!' he boomed. 'Never mind that stuff onthe other side with all them dodgy singers.' As a pocket description ofThe X Factor, it has rarely been surpassed. Everybody chuckled. It wasthat sort of evening.[LNB]Even after the goal, normal service might have been resumed whenRooney was sent racing into the box in the 24th minute. Luke Young, innervous attendance, attempted to shepherd the striker away from danger.[LNB]Rooney realised he was going nowhere, and went sprawling as the paircame together. Referee Martin Atkinson took a long look, then bookedRooney for the dive. It was a brave decision, and the right one. [LNB] Flying start: Antonio Valencia challenges Richard Dunne[LNB] [LNB]Yet Rooney's chances continued to emerge, the most acceptable on thehalf-hour, when he scampered into dangerous space. He released athundering drive and was acclaiming the goal when the ball struck theunderside of the bar and bounced away, leaving the crossbar shudderingand Rooney woefully cursing.[LNB]So O'Neill hopped neurotically on the touchline and Ferguson glaredhis discontent from the dugout. He knew what ought to be happening, andhe strode off to the dressing room to make it happen.[LNB]First, he replaced the curiously ineffective Giggs with MichaelOwen. Inside 10 minutes it appeared inspired, as Owen rolled a chanceacross the face of goal. Nobody took it. Still United's chances came.The 58th minute found Michael Carrick volleying tentatively at a ballhe might have buried. Villa defenders flew at him in clumps, andStephen Warnock was damaged in the collision.[LNB]James Collins came on to play with robust intent. In 61 minutes,Dimitar Berbatov came on for Ji-sung Park, but this was a prelude toRooney missing two more driven chances. [LNB]In 73 minutes, Berbatov himself missed a volley from six yards and United's shoulders started to sag.[LNB]But by then, Villa had done enough to deserve their fortune. Theynot only survived, they always seemed capable of inflicting retaliationon the counter. And so they came through, exhausted yet triumphant.[LNB]And United's faithful trudged home. Vowing, perhaps, to cast their votes for Jessica Ennis.[LNB] Manchester United poised to resurrect £35m Karim Benzema Real dealDes Kelly: Silence is golden? It depends on who is doing the talking...Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill ready to break United hoodooManchester United 0 Aston Vila 1: The action as it happenedMANCHESTER UNITED FC
