Bruno Fernandes scored the only goal of the game, six minutes before the half-time interval, after showing great persistence to net the rebound – from the tightest of angles – when Marcus Rashford saw a low shot across goal saved by Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
The Portuguese’s strike was helped in by a slight deflection, but it was just reward for a United performance which saw Erik ten Hag’s men breach the Villans’ offside trap at will, with Rashford, in particular, unfortunate not to score, having had a host of chances.
While Villa provided a threat at the other end, United were solid at the back for the most part, with the defensive axis of Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw at centre-back again impressing, helped by the midfield platform of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen.