Manchester United may not see it as revenge for Sunday, let alone 2021’s Europa League final defeat, but they found a way of overcoming Unai Emery. A prowess in knockout competitions helped give the quadruple Europa League winner such appeal to Aston Villa that they appointed him but their first defeat under the Spaniard came against a club who can testify to his excellence. Emery’s Villarreal are a major reason why United have not lifted a trophy since 2017 but Villa have gone 26 years without winning silverware and, four days after his first game, the Spaniard cannot claim the Carabao Cup this season after a night of fluctuating emotions. In a game of two halves, a subdued first followed by a stunning second, Villa led twice but succumbed to a familiar tormentor.
They may consider themselves fortunate that Bruno Fernandes was suspended on Sunday, when Emery began his reign with a 3-1 victory over United. He returned for the second half of a double header and took his tally against Villa to six goals in seven games, scoring the decisive third goal after providing the assist for Anthony Martial’s equaliser. Fernandes started his night out of position, shunted out to the right wing to accommodate Donny van de Beek, but nevertheless ended it as the central figure.
