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00:00Oh, look out! Oh, look at that!
00:02Absolutely phenomenal!
00:04Rooney of Paul!
00:06Welcome to Match of the Dead.
00:30Evening, it's the last match of the day before Christmas
00:50and just the one game for you tonight as Aston Villa take on Manchester United.
00:56256 goals between these two for United.
01:00How many did you get, Dion?
01:01Just the three.
01:02Just the three.
01:04Villa are on the longest winning streak in the Premier League
01:07but they've only won once in 26 years at home against United.
01:10Robin Cowan was at Villa Park.
01:14A chance for Aston Villa to lay the meetings of Manchester United pass to rest
01:19and continue their transformation into true title contenders.
01:23It's six Premier League wins in a row for Unai Emery's side.
01:25The last time they've recorded seven consecutive victories
01:28was in the 89-90 season under Graham Taylor.
01:32The only change from the win over West Ham comes in goal.
01:35Emi Martinez returns for a back injury.
01:37Viktor Lindelof makes his 200th Premier League appearance.
01:40194 of them came for Manchester United who he left for Villa in the summer.
01:44Morgan Rodgers has led the revival after their poor start to the season.
01:49He's been involved in eight goals in his last 11 league games.
01:53Manchester United are forced into three changes.
01:55Ahmad Diallo and Brian Mbomo are on international duty.
01:58Casemiro is suspended.
01:59Patrick Dorgou and Manuel Agate come in.
02:01And there's a first start since the 1st of November for Benjamin Sesko.
02:04The absence of Kobi Maynou from the squad is, according to the club,
02:08down to a calf injury.
02:12And so Aston Villa, the form team, but up against their bogey side.
02:16Just five wins in their previous 55 Premier League meetings with Manchester United.
02:22Stoked with well by Aidan Heaven.
02:27Mount.
02:28Trying to find Sesko.
02:29It's Cunha!
02:32Big opportunity inside the first three minutes.
02:36Villa a bit passive defensively.
02:38It fell nicely for Cunha.
02:40Struck it well.
02:41That was curling inward.
02:44Ruben Amarin won the only meeting with Unai Emery on the final day of last season.
02:482-0 at Old Trafford.
02:52It works nicely to Morgan Rodgers.
02:55Oli Watkins is in here.
02:58Just cut back inside.
03:00And Heaven.
03:02What a crucial touch.
03:05Suddenly, Manchester United were on the retreat.
03:08Very light at the back.
03:10Good covering there from Heaven.
03:17Clean win from Uri Tielemans.
03:19And Aston Villa are streaming forward here.
03:22Onana to McGinn.
03:24And the follow-up is blocked.
03:27Heaven again.
03:30And as soon as this was won back.
03:33Aston Villa put the pedal down.
03:37Man United outnumbered.
03:40Amarin's pulling off a decent save from McGinn.
03:43Heaven sniffed out the danger once again.
03:45McGinn's corner.
03:53On.
03:54Rodgers.
03:55At the final flick.
03:56Fired back across goal by Ian Mattson.
04:00And then you see Rodgers was trying that little back heel flick.
04:03Very, very, very close.
04:05Fernandes finds Sesko.
04:18Superb block from Emi Martinez.
04:22Villa will cut open here.
04:25But Martinez quick off his line to smother.
04:28Fiding space.
04:35Plays it through.
04:36Sesko.
04:39It was a big touch.
04:41Well, Emi Martinez took out Matty Cash.
04:45oh yeah
04:54knee to the head
04:55on Emi Martinez
04:57from Matty Cash
04:58well it looks like
05:00Martinez is
05:01having a discussion
05:03with the medical team
05:04Marco Bizot
05:07will warm up
05:08well they're going to
05:10give him a bit of time
05:11interception by
05:19Fernandez
05:20this could be bad news
05:25Dean Smith
05:31forever known as
05:32the Aston Villa boss
05:34that's got them
05:34back up to the
05:35Premier League
05:36and built the
05:37foundations
05:38on which they're
05:40now thriving
05:41mount
05:46just dispossessed
05:48again
05:49McGinn
05:50given the ball
05:51in a
05:51precarious position
05:53but he's
05:54kept hold of it
05:55and Morgan Rogers
05:57has kept it in
05:58head down
05:59it's Rogers
06:00it's an absolute
06:05ripper
06:06such a swift
06:10counter attack
06:11how impressive
06:12is this from
06:12John McGinn
06:13holding off the
06:14challenge
06:14finding
06:17Morgan Rogers
06:18he should never
06:19score from there
06:20from that position
06:21it's too easy
06:22getting away from
06:23Euro
06:24the finish as well
06:25it is absolute
06:26perfection
06:27and Villa have had to
06:29bide their time
06:30they've had to soak
06:31up a little bit of
06:31pressure
06:32they've had to give
06:33up possession
06:33but they have
06:34their lead
06:35well that's given away
06:50Cunha
06:52clinical
06:55Manchester United
06:57strike back
06:58well
07:01Matty Cash here
07:02just dawdled on the
07:05ball a little bit
07:05couldn't decide
07:06what he was going to
07:07do
07:08Dorgun won it back
07:09and Cunha
07:10finishing that off
07:11with such confidence
07:13they gave a goal away
07:15in a similar fashion
07:16against West Ham
07:17United
07:17they are pegged
07:19back
07:20Manchester United
07:21will feel
07:22on the balance of
07:23play
07:23they deserve that
07:24the Manchester United
07:28has already
07:29depleted squad
07:30has got a little
07:31thinner
07:31captain Bruno
07:32Fernandes
07:33withdrawn at
07:33half time
07:34and Sandro
07:35Martinez
07:36on in his
07:38place
07:38it's
07:42Martinez
07:42well that would have
07:45been a
07:46turn up for the
07:46books
07:47really fancy this
07:48chance
07:49there's only one
07:49thing on his
07:50mind
07:50trying to beat
07:51his
07:51hello
07:52Argentine
07:52Cash
07:56finds McGinn
07:57delayed
08:00and waited
08:01for
08:02the run
08:03of Kamara
08:04just behind
08:05Silemans
08:06gets the cross
08:12in
08:13Rogers
08:15when the ball
08:19fell to him
08:20you just knew
08:21what the outcome
08:22was going to be
08:23and Manchester United
08:25looks set here
08:26maybe
08:28Dallow didn't do
08:29quite enough
08:30to try and
08:30stop the cross
08:31just rebounded
08:32Rogers
08:35did enough
08:36to work the
08:37space
08:37again
08:38there's an
08:41exquisite
08:42finish
08:42two last
08:45weekend
08:45another two
08:47today
08:47unstoppable
08:50here's
09:00Dallow
09:00block from
09:07Matic
09:07Cash
09:07Villa look
09:09vulnerable
09:09once again
09:10having scored
09:11at one end
09:12and Martinez
09:14forced into
09:14a good stop
09:15here from
09:17Dallow
09:18he's pushed
09:19it straight
09:20to
09:20Dourgu
09:20Matic
09:22Cash
09:22at
09:23fault
09:23but
09:23the
09:23previous
09:24Manchester
09:24United
09:25goal
09:25made up
09:26for it
09:26there
09:27quickly
09:28across
09:28to make
09:28the block
09:29Mount
09:37picks out
09:38Dourgu
09:38puts it
09:40down
09:40nicely
09:41Cunha
09:41Villa
09:44giving up
09:45chances
09:45here
09:46tremendous
09:47ball
09:47from
09:48Patrick
09:49Dourgu
09:49Cunha
09:51didn't get
09:51the contact
09:52that should
09:54have been
09:54too old
09:54and Maia's
09:55reaction
09:55you can see
09:56he knows
09:57it
09:57it
10:10he knows
10:12right
10:13on the edge
10:13of the box
10:14yellow card
10:17for
10:18Bogart
10:18mistimed
10:22It's Mason Mount, nearly a difficult angle from which to shoot.
10:37Very hard win, but a fantastic win.
10:41Of course Villa Park is our fortress, we are feeling it and we need the supporters here,
10:46how they are transmitting their energy.
10:48The players try to help us with their qualities, their commitment, their attitude, it's very
10:54important.
10:55We try to press high, every ball in Martinez we were there to press, we left our players
11:01one against one behind, of course we cannot block every second ball of transition, but
11:05I think we play well and if you look at the game I think the best team today lost.
11:10When you consider the start to the season, the turnaround has been absolutely incredible.
11:16I think just sticking true to us, I think that was the most important thing, we did
11:21what we always do and nothing changed but we just worked that little bit harder, no surprise
11:26you see the results, the manager is a genius and he knows what he's doing, he knows how
11:30to get out of situations, he's been in them plenty of times, so I think that was the most
11:34important thing at the time and we did really well with it.
11:36Can you give us an indication of what was wrong with Bruno?
11:39I think Bruno has an injury, we need to assess but I think he's not going to play for a few
11:48games but we'll see.
11:49There's a lot of noise and a lot of debate of course around England and how much do you
11:54listen to that?
11:55Not at all, I focus on myself, I just try and improve, get better, find my form, find
12:00my best every game and see where that takes me, there's a whole heap of quality and talent
12:06out there and I'm just trying to compete at my best and give it my all.
12:09Well at least we know that when we talk about him in a couple of minutes' time he won't
12:13be listening to either of you so that's alright, look and we'll come on to him and we'll come
12:17on to Villa and all the good stuff in a moment but it's unusual to praise a team who've lost
12:22but you want to do that?
12:23Yeah, I thought Manchester United today were really aggressive and brave in going man-to-man
12:28and made it really difficult for Aston Villa to play out and there's some examples I want
12:33to show you here which they got really success from it.
12:36And this is further up the field, yeah?
12:40Yeah, this is further up the pitch but they were man-to-man all over the pitch and it made
12:43it really difficult for Aston Villa to play out.
12:46If you see here, man-to-man at the back, no problem, 3v3, but what they tried to do was
12:50force Aston Villa down their right-hand side and they wanted the ball to go to Condor, then
12:55eventually to Cash and then they were going to be aggressive and try and win the ball back
12:59and they'd done that and it caused Aston Villa problems, especially the first half, it caused
13:03them big problems.
13:04You see here, it goes to Matty Cash, now Dorgue goes in, Luke Shaw is brave, goes in, wins
13:09the ball.
13:10They don't win the second ball but now they've got bodies around the ball to be aggressive
13:13and get to the man and they give a free kick away here but it's no problem.
13:18And this was constant throughout the first half of the game.
13:20So now you see the body positions of the Man United players, they want it to go back,
13:24then to go down Aston Villa's right-hand side of the game.
13:26Which, that happens, they force it into Condor again.
13:30Now it goes into Matty Cash. Dorgue's there, Luke Shaw's in behind.
13:35Man to man, no problem. Now what Matty Cash does wrong, he takes an extra touch which allows
13:40Dorgue to get in tight to him. He wins the ball back. Now Cunha's in a really good position
13:45and it's a great finish and they got the rewards for being aggressive.
13:49Again here, Cunha starts this attack, this press-off.
13:54Ugarte and Martinez follow him. And now man to man, Mason Mount goes on his press but then
14:00he goes again. When you're man to man, you have to go to the goalkeeper.
14:03This time it comes down Aston Villa's left-hand side but no problem.
14:06Dalo is there, Sesco is there, they win the ball back, hype the pitch.
14:10Again, man to man in the left-hand side of the pitch. This time Villa's left-hand side.
14:15They win a corner. Xerxes comes on the pitch. Now again, trying to force it down the right-hand
14:21side in the second half. Aston Villa have learned from their mistakes. They're not going to play
14:25short. Manchester United 3v3 at the back. They win the first ball, win the second ball,
14:31it sets them up on another attack. So I thought they were really brave and aggressive and they've
14:36done it really well. And you can see, can't you, how one press then leaves. You can see the
14:40trigger points, you can see that they've worked on it. Yeah, it's something they've definitely
14:43worked on before the game and it was successful. It was especially high up the pitch.
14:48And that's the key, isn't it? High up the pitch. Because further back, it wasn't. And
14:54that allowed the brilliance of Morgan Rodgers to take advantage.
14:58Yeah, he was the difference in the game, Morgan Rodgers. He was the standout for Villa. Villa
15:02didn't play brilliant today. They didn't have to do anything absolutely outstanding. But
15:06as Wayne said, hard up the pitch, great. But you've got to do this when you're in your own
15:11final third as well. I mean, Joro's in a good position here. McGinn does what he does. He
15:16holds the ball up and he tries to set off the attack. Now, if you're a defender like Joro,
15:22and you know that your opponent's had a bad touch, that's when you've got to go in. You
15:27cannot allow an opponent to get to the ball. That's where you've got to be. Right there
15:32in his face. Keep him there. Keep him going down the line. Make sure that he doesn't come
15:36inside on his stronger right foot. This is really, really poor defending. You cannot
15:42allow that to happen, especially if it's Rodgers. You know what he's like. He's got
15:47all the quality in the world to do that. And the referee helped us out here, Michael Oliver
15:51with his left cam. That was an unbelievable view. You cannot allow them to do it. It was
15:56a great finish. It was, but it's avoidable. And United should have been more aggressive
16:00in their own final third. Again, three on three. They don't mind that. They're all in
16:05good positions. But then things start to go wrong. Players start to switch off. Bad
16:11ball to Tielemans. It's in behind him. And again, Dallow, this is the opposite side this
16:16time. He's got to go closer. He knows that Tielemans is not going to beat him for pace.
16:21Make it difficult for him. Get close to him. They're three on three. Everything's fine.
16:26He's facing the corner flag. No danger. You've got to stop the cross. Put your leg
16:31up. He allows Tielemans to cross the ball. Yoro switches off. Who's there? The man of
16:38the moment again. That little second touch there does take it away from Yoro. But they
16:42are set up. The ball should never go in the box. Dallow's got to stop it. And here's the
16:47kind of celebrations you want. I just hope his phone's not in his pocket.
16:50It's because he's not going to get that back. No. He's just had to go back into Rose
16:56to get his house keys. Absolutely. But what we're saying is it's avoidable. It's avoidable
17:01for United in their own final third. Wayne's saying aggressive up the pitch, which they
17:05were. But you've got to be even more aggressive when you own.
17:09Morgan Rogers becomes the first Villa player to score two or more goals in back-to-back
17:14Premier League games since you did it in the late 90s. Right. I gave you some stick at the
17:19start, so we'll praise you now. He's in a great run of form. He's like their talent.
17:25Him and McGinn are kind of talismanic for Villa. And as we get closer and closer to
17:29the World Cup, all the discussions will be who will be England's starting ten. Is he
17:34in pole position for you? Yeah, I think he has to be in pole position
17:37because I think he started the last qualifier game or the last important game for England
17:41in that position. And then since then, England games, his form has gone even better. And
17:45he's been in great form. He's scored on goals. He's quick. He's strong. He holds the
17:50ball. So I think at the minute he's in pole position. There's some quality players obviously
17:54to try and take that spot. And there's a long way to go before the World Cup. But he's doing
17:59everything right to try and make sure that position is his.
18:01And does he hold that more? You know, when you talk about the ten, people play ten from
18:05different positions, don't they? Cole Palmer can move into the ten from maybe a slightly
18:09wider position or Bellingham from slightly deeper. Is he an out-and-out ten, Rogers, for you?
18:14I think he can play different positions. But yeah, I think he's the one who isn't out-and-out ten.
18:18Drew can play in different positions. Phil Foden can play from the Masades. Cole Palmer,
18:22Eze can play from the Masades. But I think he's the one who gives more of a presence in there
18:28when you need that. And obviously his form now is great. And Tuchel seems to like him a little
18:35bit more than the other players. So if he keeps his form up, then he's definitely in pole position.
18:38Are Villa in a title race for you? Yes, they are. Why wouldn't they be? They're three
18:43points behind the leaders. And why not? They didn't play well today, but they got over the
18:47line against the Manchester United side, which they don't normally beat. Why do you think
18:50some people are not convinced that they're in a title race? Maybe because they haven't
18:56convinced with convincing scorelines, you know, winning by two and three and four goals.
19:01I just feel that a manager like Unai Emery has the credentials to keep them at this level
19:08and keep them as close as he possibly can right towards the end of the season. So yeah,
19:12I do think they're in a title race. Do you? No. No, no, I don't. I don't think they are.
19:18And that's not me being disrespectful to Aslan Villa. I think they're just not as good as Arsenal
19:24and Man City. And they're doing excellent, they're doing great. But to win the title, it takes a lot.
19:28And I just don't feel that they're going to be in a title race. Even though their home form is so
19:32strong, they've lost once in a calendar year at Villa Park, even though they've got the
19:35experience of the credentials of Emery. Yeah, but I just think it takes something special
19:41and to win the Premier League title. And I just don't think Aston Villa are at the level of
19:46Arsenal or Man City. Right. If you missed any of the action from this weekend's match of the day,
19:52then it's on the iPlayer, along with highlights of every Premier League game. More reaction and debate
19:56on the Monday nightclub on Five Live and BBC Sounds from seven. And the Mo Salo documentary
20:02Never Give Up is available on iPlayer. Eight games yesterday, loads of goals,
20:07we've split them into two. Here's part one.
20:15Nice in. Calafiore with a towering leap. But Arsenal are asking for something else.
20:19They think there's a handball in there. Oh, that is handball. Victor Jokeres has been entrusted with
20:25this for Arsenal. Jokeres scores!
20:31Nico Gonzalez, nicely done. Foden, Haaland!
20:35Second chance to shoot and he wasn't about to miss. Alphonse Areola having saved the first one.
20:42West Hamor to be able to get the ball away here with Fernandes. That didn't last very long.
20:48The lining up to get it off Scherke. They can't manage it. Manchester City walk it into the back of the net.
20:53Superb!
20:58That's a lovely pass from Nunez and Savinho. It's his first touch since coming off the bench, sending it forward.
21:04The touch from Lewis. Haaland doesn't miss chances like that. And surely it's game set and match for Manchester City.
21:14Murphy. In towards Valtemada. What a save by Sanchez. And Valtemada with the follow-up.
21:26This needs to go in. And it does. Valtemada! At the double.
21:34Rhys James. Oh, it's outstanding from Rhys James.
21:45Chao-Pedro away from Chao. Chance for 2-2.
21:49From two down, Chelsea a level.
21:54By Ampadu. Up ahead of Rich is Calvin Lewin.
21:58And the second time of asking, does the necessary?
22:04Ampadu with the long throw. Helps on. Calvert Lewin.
22:09He's got two. Leeds United have got two.
22:14Stack with the corner.
22:15Aaronson returns the ball with Interest. Ampadu!
22:20Well, you know, things are going lead to United's way when Ethan Ampadu scores.
22:28There's water leg. Uche is in here and has collided with Lucas Perry. And it's a penalty.
22:34Deveni. Against Lucas Perry. He converts.
22:43Stack.
22:43Stack is in good form at the moment, but let's talk about that man behind us, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is, it feels like at the moment, in pole position to be Harry Kane's understudy looking ahead to the World Cup as well. Would you agree? Or are you going to disagree with that one?
23:04Yeah, obviously, again, he's doing everything right and he's got more to do, I think, till the end of the season.
23:12I think Everton were in a position where, you know, and maybe now people look and say they should have kept him, but, you know, he was injured for two years and that made it difficult for Everton to keep him.
23:22But you'd have to give credit to the Leeds medical team for getting him back fit and playing every week. And he's doing what he does. He's a handful. He's great in the box. He's good in the air and he's scoring goals.
23:31So, again, he's put himself in the bracket of getting in that squad, but he has to carry on this form till the end of the season.
23:39He does a pita of everything, doesn't he?
23:41Yeah, he appears to be sort of playing naturally, just being a natural goal scorer, getting into good goal scoring positions, choosing the right finish at the right time.
23:50You know, even the tapping that he was saved, he was there for the bits as well. He looks really sharp, looks really sharp, movement's good, using his, he's six foot four, six foot five, and he looks in really, really good shape.
24:01He's a proper athlete. Obviously, I play with him and seeing him in the gym and how he worked and if he's fit, he's a handful for any defender in world football, but it's keeping him fit.
24:11What's he like?
24:13As I said, he's just so difficult to play against and people underestimate how physically big he is and aggressive he is and good in the air.
24:22And so he's got everything, but it's just keeping him fit. So you just hope he can stay fit from now to the end of the season.
24:27I was talking to him recently and he said that one of the big differences now is I think, you know, he's got a child and with his partner and his family and he doesn't listen to anything else.
24:36He shuts everything else out and uses their calm to help him.
24:40Yeah, I think children do calm you down. That's normal. And the more older you get, the more mature you get.
24:47Depends on your kids, to be honest.
24:50But yeah, normally that does help massively.
24:54I suppose the other thing would be, just looking ahead to the England thing again, is whether Tuchel wants a second number nine behind Harry Kane or whether he'll mix and match with others, like play Phil Foden as a false nine.
25:08OK, as in a different style? Yeah, a different style. So if he has a goal, then he'll use Foden as a false nine.
25:13I don't care who it is. If they're scoring goals and he can continue to score goals and he'll have every chance of being in that squad at that level of scoring, yes, without a doubt.
25:21OK, yeah. Yeah, I think Danny Welbeck as well. We've been talking about him a few weeks ago and now it's Cal Blue and I just think Oli Watkins is still the one for me, beyond how he came.
25:29OK. Right, just time for all of the rest of the goals from yesterday.
25:38Xavi Simons left studs right down the Achilles of Virgil van Dijk here. That is very painful.
25:44After review, my final decision is Rekmar.
25:48Xavi Simons is sent off.
25:53Romero's forward ball hit McAllister.
25:56Eketike, that's nicely done. Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak scores for Liverpool.
26:02At some cost to himself, he's put Liverpool in front.
26:08And Isak trudges off.
26:10That looks like he might be out of action for a little while.
26:16Frimpon.
26:18With a deflection on the cross. Eketike!
26:20And it struck him.
26:23Tottenham protest.
26:25Christian Romero's been shown a yellow card for protesting too much.
26:30There's a real sense that this corner represents maybe a last throw the dice for Spurs to make it difficult for Liverpool.
26:36Richarlison goes down.
26:37It's a big deflection.
26:39João Palinha.
26:40And Richarlison scores!
26:43Richarlison against Liverpool again.
26:45Canata.
26:49Free kick.
26:51Christian Romero is going to be sent off.
26:55That's why Christian Romero got a second yellow card.
27:01Yanoff spots Thiago.
27:03More bounces awkwardly and it's finished by Keane-Louis Potter.
27:08Brentford finally break through Wolves resistance.
27:13Looking for more here, the visitors.
27:15Damsgård.
27:16His cross.
27:17Two on the stretch.
27:18Keane-Louis Potter.
27:20That is it.
27:21Home supporters are heading for the exit.
27:26This is Junior Kruppi.
27:28He'll be guilty of overplaying it.
27:29And then the slip.
27:30And Semenyo punishes that moment.
27:34There's the Bournemouth breakthrough.
27:37It's Edwards.
27:37Oh, that's a lovely ball.
27:40There's the goal for Burnley.
27:43Right on the 90-minute mark.
27:48Dingra finds Lefebvre.
27:50It's a good ball back in the mix.
27:51Alderete.
27:51Good save.
27:53And where Alderete denied by a fine piece of goalkeeping.
27:57Ruda.
27:57By Ari.
28:00This time he does hit the target.
28:02Rebounds off the chest of the Sunderland goalkeeper.
28:04So here's the table.
28:08Arsenal will be top at Christmas.
28:10They lead Manchester City by two points.
28:12Villa three points behind.
28:14Manchester United remain seventh.
28:17Wolves are 16 points from safety.
28:19And could find themselves further adrift.
28:21If Nottingham Forest secure a positive result at Fulham on Monday night.
28:27That's it.
28:28Thanks to Wayne and Dion.
28:30Match of the Day is back next Saturday.
28:32Have a great Christmas.
28:33Good night.
28:34Have a great Christmas.
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