Aston Villa 2, Manchester United 2; Mat Kendrick's big match verdict
Nov 15 2010 by Mat Kendrick, Birmingham Mail
“VILLA were magnificent and really should have won by three or four,” was Alan Hansen’s assessment on Match of the Day.
It wasn’t as memorable or as catchy as “You’ll never win anything with kids” following the claret and blues’ last win in this fixture 15 years ago.
But, unlike his comical ‘‘kids’’ comment, the pundit’s latest opinion was as accurate as Ashley Young’s penalty, Stewart Downing’s crossing, Marc Albrighton’s tap-in and Barry Bannan’s passing at a vibrant Villa Park.
Gerard Houllier’s hopefuls deserved to end their home hoodoo against Sir Alex Ferguson’s superstars on Saturday – before more late heartbreak.
When Villa last beat Manchester United in the top flight at Villa Park on August 19 1995 many of the current crop were no bigger than Bannan. Eric Lichaj was knee-high. While one boyhood Villa fan, Ian Taylor, was putting Brian Little’s team in front, another, six-year-old Marc from Tamworth, was probably dribbling in his garden.
When midfield maestro Mark Draper was making it two, another, Barry, aged five, from Airdrie, was possibly playing with a geometry set to work out his passing angles.
As Dwight Yorke scored from the spot to seal a 3-1 success, there’s a good chance Ash, then ten, was honing his tricks, flicks and penalty kicks with a game of Subbuteo in Stevenage.
Maybe, Gabriel, aged eight, from Erdington was showing his pace in playground kiss-chase and Stewy, 11, was making pocket money as a delivery boy in Middlesbrough, where Jonathan Hogg, six, was gaining confidence in a kickabout with the big lads.
Back then it was all about United’s kids as Beckham, Scholes, the Nevilles et al went on to make Hansen eat his words by winning that season’s Premier League and FA Cup double. Neither Gerard’s juniors – nor the Villa Park public who were so seduced by their attacking during Saturday’s second half – would dare dream of their homegrown heroes emulating Fergie’s fledglings yet.
Just making names for themselves and Villa is currently enough for arguably the most talented young group of players at the club for a generation.
Restoring hope, excitement and pride to a fanbase crying out to be entertained is sufficient reward – for now. Encouragement at coming within minutes of inflicting United’s first league defeat of the season should diminish the despair of losing a two-goal lead.
Let’s not forget Villa were missing nine first-teamers. In actual fact, they didn’t miss them at all, but they did miss too many chances.
True, United also had several stars sidelined, but the absences of Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes were cancelled out by their new signing – referee Mike Dean. The Red Devils might have had three red cards with Nani, Wes Brown and Nemanja Vidic all lucky to stay on the pitch – and the Wirral official seemed to favour the visitors throughout.
Dean’s reffing helped the title-chasers edge the first half with Dimitar Berbatov’s scuffed shot wide and Brown’s off-target flick the best of the chances – and Nani’s elbow into Stephen Warnock’s face the only time either team forcefully hit its intended target.
