Fernandes strikes to secure win for Manchester United against Aston Villa

After thousands of Manchester United fans marched on Old Trafford demanding a “100% sale” of the club, their players did the best kind of business on the pitch, ending Aston Villa’s 10-game unbeaten sequence, and tightening the hold on fourth place in the Champions League qualification chase.

If supporters are unhappy about Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s bid to buy just over 50% of United and him being open to one or more of the Glazer siblings retaining a stake, all Erik ten Hag can do is keep the team on the upward curve marked “improvement”.

This is precisely what the manager executed against a dangerous opponent who had been on the rise since Unai Emery became their No 1 in October, Bruno Fernandes’s first-half pivot and finish taking all three points.

Ten Hag, then, could be content at a day’s work that featured United pinging the ball about and around Villa at an express pace for most of an invigorating contest.

Marcus Rashford began with 19 goals at home and ended on the same count despite a series of chances that were initiated with a left-foot shot half-smothered by Emiliano Martínez’s backside.

Villa’s next escape occurred moments later in a frantic passage that featured Martínez rushing out, slipping, and clearing the ball only to Christian Eriksen who answered the home faithful’s cries of “shoot” with a miscued lob. Possession went to Marcel Sabitzer who could not finish as he also could not when presented with a chance a little later.

This was all heartening for United and not to Emery’s liking, whose animated quasi-semaphore touchline act had him briefly taking a seat in disgust before he was up again to urge his players on.

Fernandes was next to threaten via a curving ball in from the right no teammate was present to