Manchester United vs Aston Villa LIVE: FA Cup result, final score and reaction from third-round fixture tonight
All the action as the Red Devils and the Villains fight it out at Old Trafford for a place in the fourth round
Manchester United are a mess but that mess is through to the fourth round of the FA Cup. Aston Villa should really be the ones progressing to play Middlesbrough on the balance of play at Old Trafford last night, as Steven Gerrard’s side continue to quietly impress and gradually improve under a newly-appointed manager who is having a tangible, positive effect on his players. The same cannot yet be said of United and Ralf Rangnick.
But courtesy of Scott McTominay’s early header, United march on and Rangnick picked up a valuable win after a week in which his interim spell in charge has threatened to unravel. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s temporary successor is still moulding this big, bloated squad into his image; still waiting for a statement performance, and on this evidence, there is still a long way to go too, but at least he has a little more breathing room.
A response was needed after last week’s defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Villa will leave feeling that they played just as well as their neighbours in the west Midlands, only with nothing to show for their efforts. From the moment they went behind to McTominay’s header to the final whistle, they were the better side and fed off a febrile atmosphere, which was only heightened by Gerrard’s presence in the away dugout. Yet for all their opportunities and contentiously disallowed Danny Ings equaliser, they were eliminated. Follow all the reaction below as Man United beat Aston Villa:
Fortunate Manchester United squeeze past Aston Villa to set up FA Cup meeting with Middlesbrough
FA Cup fourth round draw: Non-league Kidderminster to host West Ham, Chelsea face Plymouth 
Raphael Varane keen to help Manchester United end five-year trophy drought
Steven Gerrard not underestimating size of Aston Villa’s task in facing Manchester United
Man Utd vs Aston Villa: Rangnick on the magic of the FA Cup
Ralf Rangnick was asked in his pre-match press conference what his views on the FA Cup were being from Germany and the Manchester United interim boss had an interesting response.
He spoke about his time as a student in England and going to see the 1980 FA Cup final between West Ham and Arsenal and about how great the atmosphere was back at the old Wembley ground before transitioning to his thoughts to how good it would be to recreate that with Man Utd come May.
Rangnick said:
When I was a young student at Stuttgart University, I spent the year, as you know, in England, in Brighton, as a guest student at Sussex University. I played at the same time as a player for a small Sunday League team, Southwick, and their farewell gift when I left back for Germany at the end of that year was a ticket for the Cup final at Wembley: West Ham against Arsenal. I think it was 1980 or 1981.
“I very much relish that experience still if I think about the atmosphere there. There were 30,000 West Ham and 30,000 Arsenal supporters, they had prepared individual songs for each individual player. ‘There’s only one Liam Brady,’ I remember, for example. So, they had a special song for each player; each player, when this song was sung by supporters, was just standing in that corner where the supporters were. It was a very special atmosphere and, as I said, it was obviously the old Wembley stadium and, of course, it would be great for us to experience that atmosphere in May, or whenever the Cup final is being played.
“But we’re fully aware that it’s still a way to go, quite a long way to go, and we could have had easier draws than Aston Villa. The good thing is we’re playing at home in front of our 75,000 fans and, of course, everyone in the team, the players, the staff, we want to show that the relapse that we showed against Wolves, both tactically and energetically – we were way too passive, not proactive at all, this is exactly the kind of football that I hate, that I don’t want to see – I expect a completely different face of the team, a completely different performance, as I said, proactive, aggressive, putting them under pressure and playing also proactively with the ball.”
Man Utd vs Aston Villa: Recent results
Manchester United captain Harry Maguire says the clubs recent results haven’t been good enough and he wants the team to turn that around starting tonight. United have put in some lacklustre performances in their last four Premier League games but they’ve managed to win two, draw one and lose one. That loss came last time out when the Red Devils wre comfortably outplayed at Old Trafford a week ago by Wolves who went on to win 1-. Even if United lose tonight, a good team performance is crucial to getting the fans back on board with Ralf Rangnick’s vision.
December was a hit and miss month for Aston Villa as they lost three of their five Premier League games (against Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea) but won the other two (Leicester and Norwich). Manager Steven Gerrard will be disappointed with their start to the new year as well after they squandered a one-goal lead to lose 2-1 away to Brentford just over a week ago. Gerrard has already brought in reinforcements - in the form of Philippe Coutinho - and may want to give Villa an extended cup run.
Man Utd vs Aston Villa: Early team news
Eric Bailly has gone to the African Cup of Nations and Harry Maguire hasn’t yet resumed training for Manchester United so both players are expected to miss tonight’s FA Cup match against Aston Villa.
Also out is Paul Pogba with Rinterim boss Ralf Rangnick confirming that Pogba has another six-eight weeks of rehabilitation before he can play again but Victor Lindelof should be fit enough to make the squad.
For Aston Villa, Tyrone Mings and Ollie Watkins missed the 2-1 loss to Brentford last time out but are both back in contention for staring places.
Meanwhile Villa are without Bertrand Traoré and Trezeguet who have also gone to the Africa Cup of Nations and Marvelous Nakamba and Leon Bailey who are both injured.
What should Manchester United fans expect from incoming chief executive Richard Arnold?
It can appear as if the more things change at Old Trafford, the more they stay the same. On the surface, that would also appear to be the case with Richard Arnold succeeding Ed Woodward.
Woodward will step down as Manchester United’s executive vice-chairman and most senior official at the beginning of next month after an eight-and-a-half year reign in which success has been measured on balance sheets rather than in the trophy cabinets. Woodward himself would admit that much.
Four managers, no Premier League titles and more than £1bn spent on a mixed bag of signings is not the full extent of his legacy, and does not account for the volatility of taking over upon the departure of a legendary manager in Sir Alex Ferguson, but it is what he will be remembered for and not unfairly so.
Arnold – whose official title will be chief executive, rather than Woodward’s executive vice-chairman – is in many ways the continuity candidate. He has been the frontrunner for the job since his friend and colleague announced his impending departure last April, upon the collapse of the doomed Super League project.
Mark Critchley tells United fans what to expect from him in the job:
What should Man United fans expect from new chief executive Richard Arnold?
A change at the very top of the club, but will it lead to a change in the on-pitch holding pattern?
Ralf Rangnick wants Man United to win FA Cup
Manchester United need all the knowhow and quality they can get as they look to end what is now a five-year wait for a trophy.
Their Premier League title hopes have long since evaporated and Ralf Rangnick’s side welcome Aston Villa on Monday in the final FA Cup fixture of the third round.
“I’ve always been a big fan, supporter and admirer of the FA Cup,” the 63-year-old said. “I remember back in 1980 or 1981 when I spent my year abroad in Brighton I watched the FA Cup final at Wembley
“It was West Ham against Arsenal, it was my farewell present from my team-mates at Southwick. I’ve always been a big admirer of the atmosphere, that was obviously the old Wembley stadium.
“For me it’s a very important competition. We will definitely try to play with our best possible team in that game and a strong team.
“We take the game as seriously as we can and hopefully get one round further ahead but in order to do that we have to be successful against Aston Villa.
“We know it will not be an easy game because especially since they change managers they have been doing well.
“They won four games and lost four games, three of them against the top team. It needs a top performance from us to be successful.”
Full report:
Edinson Cavani tells Ralf Rangnick he wants to stay at Manchester United
The 34-year-old has been linked with an exit from the club this month
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments