Ruben Amorim insisted Manchester United outplayed Aston Villa despite a 2-1 defeat, arguing bad luck stopped a result. United were beaten by two superb goals from Morgan Rogers, either side of a Matheus Cunha equaliser, in what was only their second Premier League away loss in 27 visits to Villa Park.
The visitors carried more threat on the underlying numbers, even after losing captain Bruno Fernandes to injury at half-time. United finished with 15 shots, six on target, and an expected goals figure of 1.3, compared with Aston Villa’s 12 attempts and xG of 1.0, yet still left without a point.
I think we were the better team today, Amorim told Sky Sports. We were unlucky, even with the injury of Bruno, but during the game, even without him, we were the better team.
We blocked the transitions quite well, and they did really well. We did a very good job that no one is going to remember tomorrow because what matters is the result.
Amorim highlighted how United had prepared for Aston Villa’s compact attacking style and felt the tactical work showed. We already knew that Aston Villa play with everybody inside, and we needed to overload that situation. We have been training like that. We did different options, we can use different starting elevens depending on the game, so we are improving. Again, I think we deserved so much more, but the better team did not win.
Despite encouraging attacking data, United’s defensive issues surfaced again. Amorim’s team have managed only one clean sheet in this Premier League season so far. That figure matches their fewest shut-outs after 17 top-flight matches, alongside campaigns in 1961-62, 1959-60 and 1958-59, underlining a long-standing weakness.
United’s struggles against in-form opponents away from home also continued. Since the start of the 2021-22 Premier League season, they have collected only one victory in 14 away fixtures against teams who began the day inside the top four. Over that spell, they have drawn four and lost nine, including this latest setback at Villa Park.
| Team | Shots | Shots on target | xG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester United | 15 | 6 | 1.3 |
| Aston Villa | 12 | Not specified | 1.0 |
Cunha’s headed miss late on summed up United’s wasteful finishing. The forward failed to convert a clear second-half chance shortly after Rogers scored the winning goal. That moment left Amorim frustrated, as the performance did not translate into points, with United set to spend Christmas in seventh place in the Premier League table.
Amorim must handle a stretched squad, with several players unavailable, including Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo, who are away at the Africa Cup of Nations. Even so, Amorim refused to lean on those absences. We need to prepare all the guys that we have for the next game, he added. We cannot use anything as an excuse. No one is going to remember these problems, so let's cope with that. It will make us stronger.
The head coach stressed that United’s mentality at Villa Park contrasted with earlier lapses this season. I saw from the beginning of the season a team that is going forward, but sometimes relax a little bit, and sometimes is not there in the right moment to fight. This was completely the opposite; we were the better team against a team that is strong at home and in a very good run. We were really unlucky.
Amorim’s comments leave a clear picture of a side that creates chances but still falls short in key moments. The display against Aston Villa continued a recent attacking improvement, yet the single clean sheet and poor record against high-ranking opponents show why United remain outside the Premier League’s top four places.
