Aston Villa vs Man United Player Ratings: Villa Stay in the Title Hunt Under Emery While United Slip in a 2-1 Defeat

It is fixtures like this that make the English Premier League the best in the world, and boy oh boy, what a game we witnessed at Villa Park. This Premier League encounter between Aston Villa and Manchester United was a proper battle, ending in a hard-fought 2-1 victory forUnai Emery's side. The star of the show, without a shadow of a doubt, was Morgan Rogers. He was simply unstoppable after what we just saw on the field. He netted both goals for the Villans, toying with the United defence till the last whistle. The visitors did show some grit, though. Matheus Cunha pulled one back for Manchester United with a tidy finish right on the stroke of halftime, making for a very tense second half. It felt like the momentum could swing either way at that point.

But Aston Villa came out strong after the break. Rogers' second goal, a powerful strike set up by Ollie Watkins, was worthy of winning any match. The Red Devils struggled to create clear-cut chances after losing their captain, Bruno Fernandes, to injury at halftime, and Villa managed the game expertly to see out the win. With him, Man United had 60% possesion; however, without him, it went down by 6%. It was a deserved three points for Unai Emery's men in the end, they are just 3-points behind the table topper Arsenal in the Premier League title race. Here are Sportsdunia's Aston Villa vs Man United player ratings.

Morgan Rogers Leads the Charge With a Brace in Aston Villa Player Ratings

Check out the Aston Villa player ratings for the Aston Villa vs Man United fixture.

Goalkeeper

Emiliano Martínez - 7.5: A very commanding performance from the Villa keeper. He made five crucial saves, including a great stop to deny Cunha. What stood out to us was how he dominated his area, claiming crosses with ease. A really reliable presence between the posts.

Defenders

Matty Cash - 5.0: A day to forget for Cash. His terrible error led directly to United's goal, a mistake you just can't make at this level. He struggled in his duels and looked off the pace. We were surprised he wasn't subbed off, to be honest.

Victor Lindelöf - 6.5: A solid if unspectacular outing. He was tidy in possession and made a few important clearances. He could have been more aggressive in his challenges, but he didn't do much wrong. Held the line well enough.

Ezri Konsa - 6.5: Partnered with Lindelöf well and was a steady influence. Made four clearances and kept things simple. He wasn't tested too often, but did his job effectively when called upon. A quiet but competent performance.

Ian Maatsen - 7.0: Looked very lively down the left flank before his substitution. He created a big chance and was always looking to get forward. Defensively, he won most of his battles and showed great energy. A promising display.

Midfielders

John McGinn - 7.5: The captain led by example. He delivered a lovely assist for the opening goal and was a creative force throughout. He did lose possession far too often for our liking, but his positive, driving runs caused United problems all game.

Youri Tielemans - 7.5: A real beast in the midfield. We watched him win an incredible 11 duels, absolutely dominating his area of the pitch. He was a bundle of energy, breaking up play and starting attacks. A top-class midfield performance.

Amadou Onana - 7.5: Matched Tielemans' intensity in the engine room. He was a giant in the air, and his tackling was superb, winning all three of his attempted tackles. He even created a big chance. Together with Tielemans, he really bossed the midfield battle.

Boubacar Kamara - 6.0: Kamara was the weakest link in the Villa midfield. He seemed a bit lost, getting dribbled past three times and making an error that led to a shot. While his passing was safe, he offered little defensive security.

Morgan Rogers - 9.5: Man of the Match, and it's not even close. An absolutely breathtaking performance. He scored two sublime goals, hit the post, and was a constant nightmare for the United defence. Had seven shots in total. This was one of those performances you tell your mates about. The highest-rated player on the pitch by a mile.

Forwards

Ollie Watkins - 7.0: Didn't get on the scoresheet, but his contribution was vital. He provided the crucial assist for the winning goal with some intelligent play. He missed a big chance himself, but his tireless work rate and link-up play were essential for the team.

Substitutes

Donyell Malen - N/A: Came on late but didn't have enough time to make a significant impact.

Lucas Digne - N/A: Replaced the impressive Maatsen to see out the game.

Emiliano Buendía - N/A: Brought on for the final few minutes to add fresh legs.

Evann Guessand - N/A: A late cameo with the game already won.

Lamare Bogarde - N/A: Thrown on at the end to shore up the defence.

Manager

Unai Emery Etxegoien - 8.0: Another tactical masterclass from Emery. He set his team up perfectly to nullify United's threats and exploit their defensive frailties. His decision to trust in Rogers paid off spectacularly. Managed the end of the game perfectly.

United Suffer a Setback as Bruno Fernandes Is Forced Off Injured in Man United Player Ratings

Check out the Man United player ratings for the Aston Villa vs Man United fixture.

Goalkeeper

Senne Lammens - 6.0: It's hard to fault him for either of Rogers' brilliant goals. He made a couple of decent saves otherwise. His distribution was a bit hit-and-miss. An average day at the office for the keeper.

Defenders

Leny Yoro - 6.5: We were impressed by his composure on the ball. His passing range was excellent, completing all eight of his long balls. However, he struggled a bit physically and lost a few important duels. A learning experience for the youngster.

Luke Shaw - 6.5: A typically tidy performance from Shaw. He was very secure in possession and made a couple of key interceptions. We wanted to see more from him going forward, as he was a bit too conservative with his play.

Ayden Heaven - 7.0: A rock at the back for United. He seemed to win everything in the air and made a game-high seven clearances. What stood out to us was his last-man tackle, a brilliant piece of defending. A really promising performance.

Midfielders

Diogo Dalot - 6.0: A very mixed performance. He worked hard and got into some good positions, but was incredibly wasteful, losing possession 18 times. The yellow card he picked up was just silly. He offers a threat but is also a liability.

Bruno Fernandes - 7.0: United were a different team after he went off injured at halftime. In his 45 minutes, he was the main creative spark, setting up a big chance for Sesko. His absence was keenly felt in the second half.

Patrick Dorgu - 8.0: Our pick for United's best player. He was absolutely immense. Got the assist for Cunha's equalizer and created two other big chances. On top of that, he was a monster defensively, winning a staggering 11 duels. A phenomenal all-round display.

Manuel Ugarte - 5.0: A shocker of a performance. He was completely overrun in midfield, made an error leading to a shot, and rightly got booked. Won only 40% of his tackles and just looked lost. It was no surprise to see him hooked.

Forwards

Mason Mount - 6.0: Full of energy as always, but it was a frustrating evening for him. He got into good area,s but his final product was lacking. He had three shots but failed to test the keeper. Needs to be more decisive.

Matheus Cunha - 7.5: Took his goal with real composure and was a threat all game. He registered six shots and worked his socks off for the team. A bright spark in a disappointing team performance. He never stopped running.

Benjamin Sesko - 5.5: A really quiet game from the big striker. He missed a glorious chance in the first half and was largely anonymous otherwise. With only 16 touches in 73 minutes, he simply has to get more involved in the game.

Substitutes

Lisandro Martínez - 6.5: Came on for the injured Fernandes and added some steel to the midfield. Was tidy on the ball and kept things moving.

Joshua Zirkzee - N/A: Not enough time to make an impact.

Jack Fletcher - N/A: A brief appearance off the bench.

Shea Lacey - N/A: Came on for the final few minutes.

Manager

Ruben Amorim - 6.0: The injury to his captain was a huge blow to his game plan. His team showed good character to equalize, but looked devoid of ideas in the second half. His substitutions failed to change the course of the match. A tough day at the office.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match Goes to Morgan Rogers