Morgan Rogers delivered two decisive goals as Aston Villa beat Manchester United 2-1, tightening the title race. The win moved Unai Emery’s side to within three points of Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Villa’s run across all competitions also stretched to 10 straight victories, their longest winning streak since 1914.
Rogers’ brace meant the England international became the first Villa player since Dion Dublin in 1998 to score twice in successive Premier League matches. The 23-year-old forward now has 21 goals in all competitions since the beginning of last season, underlining growing influence during this campaign’s busy festive period.
Rogers’ impact went far beyond the goals. The forward attempted seven of Villa’s 12 shots, giving Rogers six more efforts than any team-mate. A curling strike into the far corner opened the scoring late in the first half, before another composed finish restored Villa’s advantage after the interval.
Across all competitions, Rogers’ 21-goal tally since the start of last term stands out at league level. Aged 23 years and 148 days, Rogers is the youngest player to reach at least 20 goals for a Premier League club over that period, reflecting rapid development under Emery’s guidance.
Villa’s league position adds extra weight to this victory. On Christmas Day, they will stand on 36 Premier League points. Only in the 2023-24 season did Villa hold more at that stage, when the club had 39. This current stretch has strengthened belief around another serious challenge near the top.
Despite Villa’s strong form, United started well at Villa Park. Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko both threatened early, while Rogers struck the woodwork before finally breaking through. Rogers bent a superb shot home in the 45th minute, punishing United after several missed chances at the other end.
United responded almost immediately with an equaliser in first-half stoppage time. Matty Cash lost possession to Patrick Dorgu deep in Villa territory. Dorgu found Cunha, who finished calmly past Emiliano Martinez. That goal reflected United’s encouraging first-half performance, which had contained energy and pressure even after the setback of hitting behind.
The visitors’ momentum then suffered when Bruno Fernandes limped off with an apparent hamstring problem. Villa exploited that shift. Twelve minutes into the second half, Rogers struck again with another precise effort. The second goal re-established control for Emery’s team and placed United under growing pressure during the closing stages.
2 - Morgan Rogers is the first Aston Villa player to score 2+ goals in back-to-back Premier League appearances since Dion Dublin in November 1998 (3 in a row). Cold. pic.twitter.com/nFhLeaLwaoOptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 21, 2025
Aston Villa vs Manchester United: Cunha’s threat and United’s absences
Cunha remained dangerous throughout and might feel disappointed with the outcome. The forward registered six attempts and created two chances, including a major opportunity to equalise again. Cunha headed wide from Dorgu’s cross from around six yards, missing a clear chance to level the contest at 2-2.
Cunha’s personal record against Villa stayed strong, however. The Brazilian has now scored in each of the last three Premier League fixtures against Villa, matching Cunha’s longest scoring run against a single opponent in the competition. The previous streak also lasted three matches, recorded versus Leicester City between April 2023 and April 2025.
United’s attacking options were stretched even before kick-off. Erik ten Hag’s side travelled without Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo, then lost Fernandes during the game. Despite late pressure, United struggled to create another clear opportunity after Cunha’s big miss, leaving Villa to protect the narrow lead through the final minutes.
Villa’s victory, combined with the 10-match winning run and Rogers’ milestone statistics, keeps Emery’s team firmly in the title conversation. For United, the display brought some encouragement in open play, yet the missed chances, growing injury list and narrow defeat underlined ongoing challenges as the season moves into its decisive winter period.
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