Premier League news: Morgan Rogers double sinks Man Utd as Aston Villa continue title push

Aston Villa beat Manchester United 2-1 on Sunday courtesy of a brilliant Morgan Rogers brace to keep pace with Arsenal and Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.

Matheus Cunha scored for the Red Devils as an inconsistent season continued for Ruben Amorim’s side.

Here, Sports News Blitz writer Robert Bore reviews the clash at Villa Park.

United and Villa trade blows in first half

When Chris Rea decided to drive home for Christmas, he never had the M62 in the fog in mind.

If he had, there’s no way he would have seen the driver next to him, let alone known they were the same.

As it happened, I drove back over the Pennines for Christmas myself and reckoned after the presents drop-off that I’d be back at ‘Chez Bore’ in more than good time for kick-off.

I was massively mistaken – 39 minutes worth of wrong as it happened.

So fast forward to the 41st minute, when a great United move ended with Bruno Fernandes’ shot blocked, for the first time I saw the whites of anyone’s eyes at Villa Park.

And it felt like a bad omen a couple of minutes later when Leny Yoro decided to forget how to defend.

As soon as John McGinn pinged a ball out to the dangerous Morgan Rogers, my brain screamed ‘get out to him’, but the young Frenchman didn’t – neither did he show him the line – and the England man took full advantage, surging towards the corner of the United box before curling the ball into the far corner.

It was a special goal from a special talent, but poor from the United man and wholly avoidable.

Needless to say, Diogo Dalot was also in the vicinity of the badness.  

However, United got the leveller their first-half performance, according to the radio at least and not my own eyes, deserved.

Patrick Dorgu robbed Matty Cash after the Villa man dawdled too long and the ball popped to Matheus Cunha on the left of the area, who made no mistake, standing Emi Martínez up and swishing the ball past him into the far corner with his wand of a right foot.

Other notable first-half thingies were a Senne Lammens double save while Benjamin Šeško really should have done better when he got in behind but fired low at Martínez when he should have dinked the ’keeper.

Rogers strike puts hosts back into the lead

I’m not sure when it happened, but Fernandes looked like his hamstring had gone and never showed from the dressing room for the second half.

Lisandro Martínez was chosen to replace him in the engine room – I scratched my head. Or more accurately, my scalp.

The house of cards had the potential to fully collapse without the skipper, on top of a suspended Casemiro and AFCON-bound Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbuemo.

Penny for the thoughts of Kobbie Mainoo who surely, even with Ruben Amorim’s eccentricities, would have now been occupying the engine room had he been in the squad.

Or maybe the thoughts of his brother, who I hope is sat in his stupid t-shirt while we watch our South American midfield duo in action.

Martínez did well to thwart a Villa attack and then fire narrowly wide from range, but Villa went ahead again with more wanton defence from the visitors.

Dalot’s defending of Youri Tielemans near the corner flag was plain abysmal, the Belgian somehow able to turn the United man and scuff a cross that found that man Rogers, who curled another beauty past Lammens.

Yoro was still a yard off as he lunged in desperation but needed boots two sizes bigger to get a block.

Once again, superb finishing from Rogers but another avoidable one.

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Red Devils huff and puff to no avail

Dalot almost made amends when he bent one towards the far post that Martínez beat away to Dorgu but his half volley was blocked by Cash, who may well now be constipated such was the velocity of the strike and the location of impact.

Cunha should have levelled again, rising to help Dorgu’s cross on but he nodded wide of the post as it appeared he tried to get too much on it.

It was a gilt-edged one to be fair.

Amorim then got the dice out, Joshua Zirkzee and Jack Fletcher, son of former United star Darren, readied – a great moment for the youngster – and Ugarte and Sesko sacrificed as we moved well inside the final 20 minutes.

Villa made some changes too, I didn’t really pay attention, and Amorim turned to another youngster, with 18-year-old Shea Lacey on for Yoro.

United weren’t playing badly and were still in the game, Cunha firing at Martínez from range, but as we entered the final three minutes or so, Villa were still ahead.

Cunha travelled 30 or 40 yards and dropped off for Lacey but he was a long way out and could only find Martínez’s big hands as the board showed four added minutes.

Dorgu won a free-kick on the left angle of the Villa box with Luke Shaw and Mount over it, but the latter could only find the top of the Martínez’s net and Villa were all-but home and ho-ho-hosed.

Bah Humbug!

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A testing 2026 beckons for Amorim’s struggling side

You know what? As disappointing as it was, United played well enough for a result against a team who have pushed themselves into the title race and had a matchwinner in Rogers and his talented right foot.

It doesn’t come without worry, though and there will be some nervous medical staff checking Portuguese hammies as the loss of the United skipper doesn’t merit thought.

Dalot simply cannot defend and remains something of a liability while Yoro showed his inexperience.

United sorely miss some more know-how at the back, particularly that of Matthijs de Ligt after his performances so far this term, although Martínez’s return offers hope – he also played pretty well in the middle.

But top six hopes need a boost and some points, and with Diallo and the impressive Mbuemo missing, it could be a tough start to 2026.

In the meantime, enjoy your mince pies one and all. I hope Santa empties his sack all over your living rooms.

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