Reds show Villa spark after week of chaos

AFTER a week of chaos, some calmness. United's winless run has extended to five games, they have two wins in seven, have failed to score in four of their past five league games, are 14th in the table and below Bournemouth in their worst start to a Premier League campaign.

- SAMUEL LUCKHURST

This was nevertheless a battling and at times competent performance at what has been a home from home. That was in part down to the raucous away section in the Trinity Road Stand that earned a generous hand from the players at fulltime.

United have lost one in their past 26 at Villa Park in the league and even a superior Aston Villa, still levitating after downing the Bayern Munich behemoth, get the yips against the Reds on their own patch.

This had the makings of an operatic afternoon with Sir Jim Ratcliffe swapping the sun and sea of Barcelona for the drizzle and directors' box in Birmingham. Ratcliffe's refusal to provide public backing for Erik ten Hag will rankle with the Dutchman after his vow of silence in the final months of last season.

Ratcliffe, Sir Dave Brailsford, Omar Berrada, Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox were perched around two dozen rows behind the Reds dugout, hovering like vultures. They were sat in the Sir Doug Ellis Stand. 'Deadly' Doug seldom demurred over a beleaguered Villa manager's position.

This was easy like Sunday morning in the afternoon. Even the entrance of Jhon Duran, an impact substitute worthy of his own entrance music, did not cause United to crumble.

They will not be content with a point.