Manchester United made it two from two on Friday night to kick off the 2015/16 Barclays Premier League season in winning style.
Louis van Gaal's Red Devils achieved another clean sheet in a fairly comfortable 1-0 triumph over Aston Villa at Villa Park, making it 20 years unbeaten at the Birmingham venue.
Adnan Januzaj scored the only goal of the game, his first in the league since April last year, as United moved to the top of the table with six points from two outings.
The Belgian midfielder raced onto a clever ball from Juan Mata, beat a sliding Micah Richards, before squeezing it past Ciaran Clark from the edge of the six-yard box and in off Brad Guzan's far post.
It was a big moment for the 20-year-old who has been heavily linked with a loan move to Sunderland but is determined to stay at Old Trafford and with for a spot in van Gaal's starting XI.
MATCH OVERVIEW
Aston Villa: 0
Manchester United: 1 (Adnan Januzaj 29')
Villa Park, Birmingham - 42,200
TALKING POINTS
- Another clean sheet for United and Romero. Where does this leave De Gea?
- Can Januzaj lock down the no.10 role under van Gaal?
- Tim Sherwood's Villa look much improved on last season. Can they push well away from the drop zone this term?
WHAT'S NEXT?
Villa will be eager to bounce back when they head to Crystal Palace next Saturday as United look to make it three in a row when they host Newcastle United following their Champions League play-off first leg at Old Trafford against Club Brugge on Tuesday night.
TWITTER INSIGHT
Not the result we wanted but we will get better with that fight! Villa park was rocking... http://t.co/Kbamkfq2Sfpic.twitter.com/hNrzN7E6V0
— brad guzan (@bguzan) August 14, 2015Good win and happy to score! #MUFCpic.twitter.com/ybMDyt5NI1
— Adnan Januzaj (@adnanjanuzaj) August 14, 2015Coming back to Manchester with three points! Good way to celebrate your birthday... @AnderHerrerapic.twitter.com/PkJgTnDzER
— Juan Mata García (@juanmata8) August 14, 2015
QUOTES CORNER
Man Utd boss van Gaal on Januzaj's possible loan away from Old Trafford:
"You have to wait until we have closed the transfer period. That's my benefit of this period.
"I am pleased with the goal because it was a wonderful goal but you have to do more than scoring a goal and that was less good than the goal."
Villa boss Sherwood on the result:
"I didn't think there was too much in the game. The boys gave everything for the cause but we didn't carry enough attacking threat," he said.
"There's a lot of things to improve on. I'm not too disheartened. We'll be okay. I don't take winning on Saturday (against Bournemouth) out of proportion and I don't think losing to Manchester United, with a couple of World Cup winners, is going to destroy my confidence either."
STATS SPECIALS
*Thanks to Opta
20 - Aston Villa have equalled the longest run of home games without a win versus a single opponent in English league history. Ignominy.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 14, 20152 - Man Utd have won their opening two PL games for only the second time in the last nine seasons (also in 2011-12). Foundations.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 14, 2015
TEAM LEADERS
AV:Goals - Rudy Gestede 1
Assists - Ashley Westwood 1
Clean sheets - Brad Guzan 1
Yellow cards - Idrissa Gueye 2
MU:Goals - Adnan Januzaj 1
Assists - Juan Mata 1
Clean sheets - Sergio Romero 2
Yellow cards - Mata, Schweinsteiger, Darmian, Herrera 1
