Boredom won at Old Trafford, and both Manchester United and Southampton ended with a bittersweet taste. With reasons not to be happy but knowing that the afternoon could have been worse. Erik ten Hag’s team returned to the Premier League after the setback received at Anfield last weekend, but the Mancunians, who already offered their reaction during the week against Betis, sThey crashed against a team that ends the weekend as bottom team. With occasions, clear but few, and without goals.
The local team controlled the ball from the start, although without bothering the visitor. Those from the south of England enjoyed opportunities during the first leg of the match, and they grew as the match progressed. Even more after the play that ended up marking the game. Casemiro threw himself to the ground to stop Carlos Alcaraz’s advance. He did it heels first and was sent off. Direct red and change of script. Ten Hag was slow to react, bringing on Scott McTominay to the detriment of Wout Weghorst just before the break.
Manchester United came out in a rage in the second act. Demanding with the referee, protesting everything and claiming penalties in unclear actions. There was no conviction. Neither goals, although Old Trafford celebrated a Bruno Fernandes shot from the edge in the 64th minute. The local fans believed that their team had gone ahead in the marking, but the post spat out the Portuguese’s shot. Two minutes later it was Kyle Walker-Peters who fired into the woodwork in a similar action. Alejandro Garnacho entered in the 73rd minute, but did not change the game. He didn’t finish it either. He was substituted with discomfort after a challenge by Walker-Peters.
Without options to get into the fight for the title and with a comfortable income compared to their pursuers, the red devils are still in limbo in the Premier League. With little at stake, and focused on both the Europa League and the FA Cup. Southampton, meanwhile, becomes the new red lantern.
The ‘Dibu’ Martínez holds Aston Villa
After two consecutive victories, Unai Emery’s Aston Villa suffered a slight slowdown on his visit to West Ham and added a point (1-1) thanks to the interventions of ‘Dibu’ Martínez, who held his team with several merit interventions. Aston Villa’s fight to enter the ‘top ten’ of the Premier League seems to lose steam day by day.
West Ham, in a state of alarm, did not make the game easy for Emery’s men, who, however, they took the lead on the scoreboard through Ollie Watkins after taking advantage of an assist from Álex Moreno to get the first goal on the scoreboard at London Stadium. The joy of Aston Villa only lasted a few minutes, which took Mohamed Benrahma celebrating the equalizer after scoring from the penalty spot to make it 1-1.
Then, at the beginning of the second, ‘Dibu’ Martínez began an exhibition, who started strong with a great hand to Benrahma himself, who later suffered another intervention from the Argentine goalkeeper in a shot from outside the area. The trio of stops from ‘Dibu’ to Benrahma concluded with 20 minutes to go. The Algerian found himself with another hand from the Aston Villa goalkeeper, whom he could only beat from eleven meters and with whom he will surely dream this Sunday. However, the performance of ‘Dibu’ was not enough for Aston Villa, which with the final tie remains stuck in the center of the Premier League table. West Ham, at least, escaped falling into the relegation hole. EFE.
Changes
Scott McTominay (43′, Wout Weghorst), Stuart Armstrong (54′, Carlos Alcaraz), Alexander Garnacho (72′, Jadon Sancho), By making Pellistri (73′, Antony), Adam Armstrong (75′, Kamaldeen Sulemana), Sekou Mara (75′, Che Adams), Paul Onuachu (84′, Theo Walcott), Harry Maguire (89′, Lisandro Martinez), Fred (90′, Alejandro Garnacho)
cards
Arbitro: Anthony Taylor
VAR Referee: Andre Marriner, Marc Perry
Lisandro Martinez (9′,Yellow) casemiro (33′,Roja) Shaw (95′,Yellow)
| Classification | PT | PJ | PG | PE | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 66 | 27 | 21 | 3 | 3 |
| 2 | 61 | 27 | 19 | 4 | 4 |
| 3 | 50 | 26 | 15 | 5 | 6 |
| 4 | 48 | 27 | 15 | 3 | 9 |
| 5 | 42 | 26 | 12 | 6 | 8 |
| Classification | PT | PJ | PG | PE | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 24 | 26 | 7 | 3 | 16 |
| 17 | 24 | 26 | 6 | 6 | 14 |
| 18 | 24 | 26 | 6 | 6 | 14 |
| 19 | 23 | 26 | 5 | 8 | 13 |
| 20 | 22 | 26 | 6 | 4 | 16 |
