Morgan Rogers scored twice as Aston Villa extended their winning run to 10 matches in all competitions with a 2-1 victory over Manchester United at Villa Park. The result leaves Unai Emery's side third in the Premier League, three points behind leaders Arsenal, as they approach the halfway stage of the season.
Rogers opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time with a superb curling strike from the left flank, keeping John McGinn's pass in play before cutting inside and finding the far corner. Manchester United equalised almost immediately through Matheus Cunha, who tapped home after Patrick Dorgu dispossessed Matty Cash. But Rogers struck again in the second half, latching onto a loose ball and firing past Senne Lammens to restore Villa's lead.
Emery reacted to the winner by throwing his jacket into the air, while Rogers spread his arms and shrugged after his second goal as if to say, 'What am I supposed to do?' Amadou Onana pretended to place a crown on Rogers's head. Remarkably, Emery later revealed he was not entirely happy with Rogers until that moment, highlighting the manager's demanding standards.
The win was Villa's seventh consecutive league victory, a feat they last achieved in the 1989-90 season when they also beat United on their way to finishing second. If Villa beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, they will equal their club-record 11 wins in a row from 1897.
For Manchester United, the defeat was compounded by an injury to captain Bruno Fernandes, who was forced off at half-time with a muscle problem that is likely to sideline him for several matches, starting with the Boxing Day clash against Newcastle. Kobbie Mainoo was also absent with a calf injury suffered in training.
