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Manchester United moved level on points with Premier League leaders Liverpool as Bruno Fernandes\u2019 penalty got 2021 off to a winning start against Aston Villa.<\/p>\nManchester United moved level on points with Premier League leaders Liverpool as Bruno Fernandes\u2019 penalty got 2021 off to a winning start against Aston Villa.<\/p>\n
An impressive run of seven wins in nine top-flight matches saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer\u2019s side end New Year\u2019s Day in second spot \u2013 their highest position at the turn of the year since Alex Ferguson retired as champion in 2012-13.<\/p>\n
The United great was in the stands on Friday as the current crop join rivals Liverpool on 33 points, with Fernandes scoring from the spot shortly after Bertrand Traor\u00e9 cancelled out Anthony Martial\u2019s effort to secure a 2-1 win against Villa.<\/p>\n
The in-form sides played out an entertaining New Year\u2019s Day encounter at an empty Old Trafford, where fine goalkeeping from David De Gea and Emiliano Martinez prevented the scoreline from being far greater.<\/p>\n
United edged the first half and went into the break with a deserved lead as Martial \u2013 in for the suspended Edinson Cavani \u2013 directed home Aaron Wan-Bissaka\u2019s cross after Tyrone Mings failed to clear.<\/p>\n
But Dean Smith\u2019s Villa have been hugely impressive this season and translated early second-half pressure into a goal, with Traor\u00e9 netting after United were caught napping from a quickly-taken free-kick.<\/p>\n
The score was not level for long, though, as Fernandes converted from the spot after Douglas Luiz was adjudged to have brought down Paul Pogba in the box.<\/p>\n
Play swung from end to end for the remainder of the match and Eric Bailly produced a key block to deny substitute Keinan Davis levelling deep in stoppage time.<\/p>\n