Manchester United took another big step towards Champions League qualification on a day of fresh protests at Old Trafford.
A deserved victory over Aston Villa saw United move nine-points ahead of Villa with two games in hand, three days after Erik ten Hag’s side had maintained their advantage over Tottenham, another of their top-four rivals.
It would take a collapse of dramatic proportions now for United to blow it over the final six games of the season after Bruno Fernandes’ first-half effort sealed victory here to hand Villa their first defeat in 11 Premier League games.
The match kicked off with the wisp and scent of smoke in the air from the pre-match demonstrations outside the ground, sparked by a realisation that the Glazer family may cling on in some capacity after all.