Player Ratings: Manchester United 4-0 Aston Villa

Early Wayne Rooney
penalty put paid to any
hopes of McLeish's side
being able to sit back
and contain the Red
Devils, and became a
case of damage
limitation thereafter.

By Mark Fordham at
Old Trafford

Manchester
United
David de Gea
Was sturdy in between the
sticks for United making a
couple of stops but his
distribution wasn't great.
Has clearly improved his all
round keeping but needs to
work on his kicking big time.
Patrice Evra
Didn’t get forward with
quite the same gusto as
Rafael on the opposite flank
but did provide some
support for Ashley Young.
Wasn’t required to do too
much defending.
Rio Ferdinand
Didn’t really have a great
deal to do at the back for
United, such was the dearth
of attacking threat that
Aston Villa posed.
Jonny Evans
Was solid enough and even
had time to venture
forward a couple of times
and conjured an assist in
the closing stages after Sir
Alex Ferguson called him
one of the Premier
League’s best defenders in
his programme notes.
Rafael Da Silva
Provided plenty of support
throughout for Antonio
Valencia, which made it a bit
of a nightmare for Eric
Lichaj to try and cover both
of them.
Michael Carrick
Was effective in the engine
room of Manchester
United's midfield and a
calming influence alongside
Paul Scholes. Has been an
unsung hero all season
long.
Ashley Young
Won his eighth penalty
since the start of the
2009-10 season with a
convincing star dive. There
appeared to be minimal
contact with Ciaran Clark,
which he accentuated to
ensure a penalty was
given.
Paul Scholes
Was the heartbeat of the
United team as he has been
so often since his return to
the team in January. A true
class act.
Antonio Valencia
The Premier League’s in-
form winger was given far
too much space on the right
hand side, thanks mainly to
the support of Rafael.
Played some neat one-twos
but wasn’t able to do too
much to influence the game
majorly.
Wayne Rooney
Top of the Match
Scored the opening goal for
his 15th penalty for United
but cut an increasingly
frustrated figure before
scoring the third towards
the end of the game.
Danny Welbeck
Has managed to form a
very good partnership up
front with Rooney for
United, so much so that he
has been preferred to
Javier Hernandez, which is
some statement. Three
goals on the day between
the pair is testament to the
burgeoning relationship.
• Substitutions
Nani
Came on for Young midway
through the second half but
didn't enjoy quite as much
freedom as the England
man. Clearly still feeling his
way back from injury. Took
his goal well in the dying
embers of the game.
Tom Cleverley
Another player tentatively
coming back from injury and
continued the good work of
Paul Scholes after replacing
him.
Dimitar Berbatov
Surprisingly didn't score
after coming on to replace
Wayne Rooney. The
Bulgarian has a great
goalscoring record this
season despite seeing
very little action. Couldn't
add to that today.
Aston Villa
Shay Given
Wasn't at fault for any of
the Manchester United
goals and was always going
to be conceding with the
team holding such a deep
defensive line.
Alan Hutton
Gave Ashley Young far too
much space and virtually
gave him a free reign on
the left hand side. Wasn’t
able to help support the
team going forward either
and was a little fortunate to
receive only a yellow for a
clattering challenge on the
winger.
James Collins
Inexplicably left the ball in
his own area when it was
played across for the
waiting Danny Welbeck to
snaffle up the goal.
Ciaran Clark
Was the unfortunate player
to have a rather soft
penalty given against him in
the opening moments.
Though, if you stick your
leg out in the area players
will go over it.
Eric Lichaj
Struggled to get close
enough to Antonio Valencia
and allowed the league’s in
form winger far too much
room with which to work in.
Nathan Baker
Had an equally bad time of
it for the Manchester United
second goal. Like James
Collins, Baker should have
cut out the ball but rather
meekly allowed the England
striker to get on the end of
it at the back post.
Stephen Ireland
Didn’t get on to the ball as
much as Alex McLeish would
have wanted and wasn’t
able to provide any help in
terms of support for Gabriel
Agbonlahor.
Barry Bannan
Seemed a little isolated on
the right hand side and
perhaps would have been
influential in the middle of
midfield. Though, with the
amount of time Villa spent in
possession, it probably
wouldn't have mattered.
Gary Gardner
Another youngster that
struggled at Old Trafford.
he couldn't get on to the
ball enough and when he
did he was too wasteful in
possession.Manchester
United
David de Gea
Was sturdy in between the
sticks for United making a
couple of stops but his
distribution wasn't great.
Has clearly improved his all
round keeping but needs to
work on his kicking big time.
Patrice Evra
Didn’t get forward with
quite the same gusto as
Rafael on the opposite flank
but did provide some
support for Ashley Young.
Wasn’t required to do too
much defending.
Rio Ferdinand
Didn’t really have a great
deal to do at the back for
United, such was the dearth
of attacking threat that
Aston Villa posed.
Jonny Evans
Was solid enough and even
had time to venture
forward a couple of times
and conjured an assist in
the closing stages after Sir
Alex Ferguson called him
one of the Premier
League’s best defenders in
his programme notes.
Rafael Da Silva
Provided plenty of support
throughout for Antonio
Valencia, which made it a bit
of a nightmare for Eric
Lichaj to try and cover both
of them.
Michael Carrick
Was effective in the engine
room of Manchester
United's midfield and a
calming influence alongside
Paul Scholes. Has been an
unsung hero all season
long.
Ashley Young
Won his eighth penalty
since the start of the
2009-10 season with a
convincing star dive. There
appeared to be minimal
contact with Ciaran Clark,
which he accentuated to
ensure a penalty was
given.
Paul Scholes
Was the heartbeat of the
United team as he has been
so often since his return to
the team in January. A true
class act.
Antonio Valencia
The Premier League’s in-
form winger was given far
too much space on the right
hand side, thanks mainly to
the support of Rafael.
Played some neat one-twos
but wasn’t able to do too
much to influence the game
majorly.
Wayne Rooney
Top of the Match
Scored the opening goal for
his 15th penalty for United
but cut an increasingly
frustrated figure before
scoring the third towards
the end of the game.
Danny Welbeck
Has managed to form a
very good partnership up
front with Rooney for
United, so much so that he
has been preferred to
Javier Hernandez, which is
some statement. Three
goals on the day between
the pair is testament to the
burgeoning relationship.
• Substitutions
Nani
Came on for Young midway
through the second half but
didn't enjoy quite as much
freedom as the England
man. Clearly still feeling his
way back from injury. Took
his goal well in the dying
embers of the game.
Tom Cleverley
Another player tentatively
coming back from injury and
continued the good work of
Paul Scholes after replacing
him.
Dimitar Berbatov
Surprisingly didn't score
after coming on to replace
Wayne Rooney. The
Bulgarian has a great
goalscoring record this
season despite seeing
very little action. Couldn't
add to that today.
Aston Villa
Shay Given
Wasn't at fault for any of
the Manchester United
goals and was always going
to be conceding with the
team holding such a deep
defensive line.
Alan Hutton
Gave Ashley Young far too
much space and virtually
gave him a free reign on
the left hand side. Wasn’t
able to help support the
team going forward either
and was a little fortunate to
receive only a yellow for a
clattering challenge on the
winger.
James Collins
Inexplicably left the ball in
his own area when it was
played across for the
waiting Danny Welbeck to
snaffle up the goal.
Ciaran Clark
Was the unfortunate player
to have a rather soft
penalty given against him in
the opening moments.
Though, if you stick your
leg out in the area players
will go over it.
Eric Lichaj
Struggled to get close
enough to Antonio Valencia
and allowed the league’s in
form winger far too much
room with which to work in.
Nathan Baker
Had an equally bad time of
it for the Manchester United
second goal. Like James
Collins, Baker should have
cut out the ball but rather
meekly allowed the England
striker to get on the end of
it at the back post.
Stephen Ireland
Didn’t get on to the ball as
much as Alex McLeish would
have wanted and wasn’t
able to provide any help in
terms of support for Gabriel
Agbonlahor.
Barry Bannan
Seemed a little isolated on
the right hand side and
perhaps would have been
influential in the middle of
midfield. Though, with the
amount of time Villa spent in
possession, it probably
wouldn't have mattered.
Gary Gardner
Another youngster that
struggled at Old Trafford.
he couldn't get on to the
ball enough and when he
did he was too wasteful in
possession.
Gabriel Agbonlahor
Was the definition of a lone
striker for large parts of
the match. Villa can’t expect
to get much from games if
their striker is at least 30
yards away from every
other player. Worked his
socks off but to no avail.
Andreas Weimann
Had a good chance in the
opening moments of the
game but couldn’t beat
David de Gea. Was busy
whenever he got the ball
but got increasingly
frustrated with a lack of
help from his teammates.
• Substitutions
Charles N'Zogbia
Was brought on with less
than 10 minutes to go and
cut a moody figure
throughout.
Samir Carruthers
Looked lively when he came
on, but had little impact as
United dominated.
Emile Heskey
Flop of the Match
Came on for the injured
Ciaran Clark and had a
similar effect to the
defender, though didn't
give a penalty away. How
far he has fallen.
Gabriel Agbonlahor
Was the definition of a lone
striker for large parts of
the match. Villa can’t expect
to get much from games if
their striker is at least 30
yards away from every
other player. Worked his
socks off but to no avail.
Andreas Weimann
Had a good chance in the
opening moments of the
game but couldn’t beat
David de Gea. Was busy
whenever he got the ball
but got increasingly
frustrated with a lack of
help from his teammates.
• Substitutions
Charles N'Zogbia
Was brought on with less
than 10 minutes to go and
cut a moody figure
throughout.
Samir Carruthers
Looked lively when he came
on, but had little impact as
United dominated.
Emile Heskey
Flop of the Match
Came on for the injured
Ciaran Clark and had a
similar effect to the
defender, though didn't
give a penalty away. How
far he has fallen.
Source: www.goal.com