Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes scores the winner from the penalty spot against Aston Villa at Old Trafford in Manchester, England on Jan. 1, 2021.Lawrence Griffiths/The Associated Press
Bruno Fernandes scoring a penalty has become a very familiar sight for Manchester United. Being among the Premier League front-runners has not been seen in recent years for the fallen giant.
United went level on points with leader Liverpool with a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa on Friday. The win was secured by Fernandes scoring his ninth spot-kick since making his debut 11 months ago.
While United is still behind Liverpool on goal difference, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has won one more and has the team looking well-placed to mount a challenge for a first title since 2013.
Alex Ferguson, who produced United’s record-extending 20th English title before retiring eight years ago, was among just a few hundred allowed into Old Trafford to witness this New Year’s Day game in a city in near-lockdown.
A day after his 79th birthday, the Scot saw Anthony Martial head United in front in the 40th minute at the end of a counterattack started by Paul Pogba. And it was Pogba who won the penalty – from the restart after Bertrand Traore’s equalizer – that allowed Fernandes to clinch the win in the 61st minute.
Such has been United’s decline in the post-Ferguson years that only once – in 2018 under Jose Mourinho – has United finished second and then it was 19 points behind Manchester City.
And when Solskjaer opened 2020 with United 27 points behind eventual champion Liverpool, the manager’s days looked numbered.
“It’s such a big difference when you look 12 months back,” Solskjaer said. “It’s a good position to be in but we need to improve and get better.”
Key to United’s transformation last season that secured a third-place finish was Fernandes arriving in the January transfer window.
But it is the team’s costliest player – Pogba – that Solskjaer will need to be making a consistent impact if the trophy is to be collected.
“His physical presence is important for us,” Solskjaer said.
After gaining possession five minutes before halftime inside his own half, Pogba headed the ball to Marcus Rashford, who flicked it for Aaron Wan-Bissaka to take down the right flank. A cross was then sent in for Martial to meet with a stooping header planted into the net for his third goal in six games.
It’s not easy breaching Villa’s defence. This was only the second conceded in six games.
Soucek scores first EPL goal of 2021
LIVERPOOL, England – Tomas Soucek scored the first English Premier League goal of 2021 as West Ham beat Everton 1-0 on Friday.
Soucek struck for the visitors in the 86th minute to end Everton’s streak of four league wins.
The Toffees remained on 29 points with West Ham 10th on 26. Leader Liverpool has 33 points.
With no fans allowed due to coronavirus restrictions, West Ham’s David Moyes registered his first win at Goodison Park as an opposition manager.
The Scot had lost all four previous appearances by an aggregate of 12-1 on a ground where he had success until leaving Everton for Manchester United in 2013.
Having done their primary job of not conceding, the Hammers benefited from some good fortune when Aaron Cresswell’s mis-hit shot deflected off Yerry Mina and into the path of Soucek, who could not miss.
“The players have played three games in six days and I don’t think you would have said there was any difference in how the fitness looked, or how they were,” Moyes said. “So great credit to the players for the way they have gone about it. That is a big change in the mentality here at West Ham, and they are showing it in the games.”
The game got off to an inauspicious start for West Ham when goalkeeper Lucasz Fabianski was injured in the warm-up and had to be replaced by Darren Rudolph before kickoff.