Manchester United strengthened their bid for next season’s UEFA Champions League with a convincing 3–1 victory over top-four rivals Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Casemiro opened the scoring early in the second half before Ross Barkley levelled for Villa. But United finished strongly as Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko struck late to seal victory.
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It was the seventh win in nine games for interim manager Michael Carrick, who has steadied United since the dismissal of Ruben Amorim.
Sitting third in the Premier League, United are now three points clear of fourth-placed Villa in the race for Champions League qualification.
United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe this week praised Carrick’s “excellent” work but stopped short of committing to the former midfielder as permanent manager. However, Carrick is strengthening his case after stabilising the club following Amorim’s departure.
United’s latest victory came after an 11-day break following the first defeat of Carrick’s reign at Newcastle United. The interim boss celebrated with a jubilant dance on the touchline after Sesko wrapped up the points.
Villa, meanwhile, remain out of form. Unai Emery’s side have now lost their last three league games and have just one win in seven matches, leaving them three points above fifth-placed Chelsea F.C. with eight games remaining in the race for European places.
After a sluggish first half, United finally broke through in the 53rd minute. A powerful effort from Bryan Mbeumo was pushed away by Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, conceding a corner.
Bruno Fernandes delivered the set-piece to the near post, where Casemiro timed his run perfectly to glance a header past Martinez for his first league goal of the season.
With Casemiro expected to leave when his contract expires at the end of the campaign, United fans serenaded the Brazilian with chants of “one more year”.
Villa equalised in the 64th minute when Barkley, making his first Premier League start in 14 months, smashed a superb strike past Senne Lammens after United failed to clear their lines.
But United regained control late on as Cunha restored the lead before Sesko sealed the result.
The win also delivered Carrick a sixth successive home victory, a feat bettered at the start of a Premier League managerial reign only by Sven-Göran Eriksson, Carlo Ancelotti and Manuel Pellegrini.
Villa have now won just three of their last 12 league games, collecting only 12 points in that run and leaving their hopes of Champions League qualification increasingly uncertain.
