Game #4703
Saturday, 23 February 2002
Attendance: 67,592
Lost
Premier League
7th (-)
Manchester United
Last 5: 🟩 🟨 🟨 🟨 🟥
Old Trafford
Villa remain winless in four games since the resignation of John Gregory as they are beaten for the first time under Graham Taylor but remain seventh in the Premier League table thanks to their pre November form.
Manchester United
1-0
Aston Villa
Assist(s) | None
KEY MAN
George Boateng, gift
RELATED MATCHES
MATCH TIMELINE
🕒 | HT Manchester United 0-0 Aston Villa
🥅 | 50’ Goal, 0-1, (Manchester United), Ruud Van Nistelrooy
🔁 | 63’ Sub off, Mustapha Hadji, Sub on, Thomas Hitzlsperger
🔁 | 79’ Sub off, Jlloyd Samuel, Sub on, Dion Dublin
🕒 | FT Manchester United 0-1 Aston Villa
ON THIS DAY
Villa lose for the first time since John Gregory's departure but remain in 7th place.
Aston Villa
European Cup / Champions League: 🏆
UEFA Cup / Europa League: ❌
UEFA Cup Winners Cup: ❌
League Champions: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆🏆
FA Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆🏆
League Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
Last Trophy: 1995-96
Manchester United
European Cup / Champions League: 🏆🏆
UEFA Cup Winners Cup: 🏆
League Champions: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆🏆🏆🏆
FA Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
League Cup Winners: 🏆
Last Trophy: 2000-01
FIXTURE HISTORY
Previous 5 vs. United: 🟥 🟥 🟥 🟨 🟥
FIXTURE DETAILS
Season | 2001-02 |
Matchday | #38 |
League Game | #27 |
Manager Game | #2 |
Saturday, 23 February 2002
MATCH SUMMARY
Manager: Graham Taylor | 🏴 | Worksop, 2002-2003
Referee: Jeff Winter | 🏴 | Middlesbrough, 1992-2004
Kick off: 1.00pm
HT Score: 🟨 0-0
FT Score: 🟥 0-1
FT Result: 🟥 Lost
Last 5: 🟩 🟨 🟨 🟨 🟥
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Jeff Winter | 🏴 | Middlesbrough, 1992-2004
Previous 5: 🟩 🟥 🟩 🟨 🟨
Last Match: 🟨 21 April 2001, Villa 0-0 Southampton, Villa Park.
Cards: None
CARDS
TEAM NEWS
Peter Schmeichel, Gareth Barry and Steve Stone (first start in 7) replace Peter Enckelman, Lee Hendrie and Paul Merson.
TEAM STATS
Starting XI Average Age
| 27.18 |
Oldest Player |
GK Peter Schmeichel | 🇩🇰 | 38.29 |
Youngest Player |
RB Jlloyd Samuel | 🏴 | 20.92 |
MANAGER
MANAGER
Graham Taylor | 🏴 |
Alex Ferguson | 🏴 |
Aston Villa
GK Peter Schmeichel | 🇩🇰 |
RB Mark Delaney | 🏴 |
RB Jlloyd Samuel | 🏴 | 🔁 |
LB Steve Staunton | 🇮🇪 |
CB Olof Mellberg | 🇸🇪 |
M Mustapha Hadji | 🇲🇦 | 🔁 |
M George Boateng | 🇳🇱 |
M Gareth Barry | 🏴 |
M Steve Stone | 🏴 |
F Darius Vassell | 🏴 |
CF Juan Pablo Ángel | 🇨🇴 |
Manchester United
GK Fabien Barthez | 🇫🇷 |
RB Gary Neville | 🏴 |
LB Denis Irwin | 🇮🇪 | 🔁 |
LB Mikaël Silvestre | 🇫🇷 |
CB Laurent Blanc | 🇫🇷 |
M Juan Sebastián Verón | 🇦🇷 |
M Nicky Butt | 🏴 |
M Roy Keane | 🇮🇪 |
W David Beckham | 🏴 |
CF Ole Gunnar Solskjær | 🇳🇴 |
CF Ruud van Nistelrooy | 🇳🇱 | ⚽ |
SUBSTITUTES
🔁 M Thomas Hitzlsperger | 🇩🇪 | for M Mustapha Hadji | 🇲🇦 | 63’ |
🔁 CF Dion Dublin | 🏴 | for RB Jlloyd Samuel | 🏴 | 79’ |
SUBSTITUTES
🔁 | LB Denis Irwin | 🇮🇪 | (CB Ronny Johnsen | 🇳🇴 |)
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES
GK Peter Enckelman | 🇫🇮 |
M Hassan Kachloul | 🇲🇦 |
F Boško Balaban | 🇭🇷 |
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES
GK Roy Carroll | 🇬🇧 |
CB John O'Shea | 🇮🇪 |
M Paul Scholes | 🏴 |
CF Diego Forlán | 🇺🇾 |
SQUAD STATS
1st XI:
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 5/11
Homegrown: 3/11
Squad:
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 6/16
Homegrown: 4/16
MATCHDAY SQUAD
SQUAD STATS
1st XI:
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 3/11
Squad:
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 5/16
MATCHDAY SQUAD
UNAVAILABLE
Not recorded
UNAVAILABLE
Not Recorded
Player Abbreviations:
GK : Goalkeeper
LB, RB, FB : Left Back, Right Back, Full Back
CB, D : Centre Back, Defender
M, W : Midfielder. Winger
F, CF : Forward, Centre Forward
🟢 : Debut 🔴 : Final Game
Symbols:
⚽ | Goal
🔥 | Assist
🔁 | Substitution
🟨 | Booking
🟥 | Sending off
🆘 | Poor refereeing performance
DEBUT APPEARANCES
FINAL APPEARANCES
MATCH STATS
Not recorded
TABLE

PROGRAMME



MATCHDAY QUOTES
“It was frustrating to lose a goal in the way we did.
"I dislike losing 1-0 to the type of goal we conceded - you can't make those basic errors."
Graham Taylor.
*BBC Sport*
Saturday, 23 February, 2002
*Man Utd edge out Villa*
Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s golden run continued as Manchester United cemented their position at the Premiership summit against Aston Villa.
Van Nistelrooy struck his 29th goal of the season and ended United’s Old Trafford frustration against Graham Taylor’s Villa.
It was hardly vintage Old Trafford fare - in fact in parts it was decidedly ordinary - but Sir Alex Ferguson will gratefully accept the victory to turn up the heat on their title rivals.
And Van Nistelrooy was equally grateful to accept a gift from his Holland team-mate George Boateng in the 49th minute that set him up for his latest strike.
The Premiership pace-setters dominated possession, but lacked a cutting edge until Van Nistelrooy’s vital intervention.
Boss Taylor insisted his Villa side had come to Old Trafford to attack, but there was little evidence of such bold intent as they failed to trouble United’s defence.
Villa goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel received a predictably rapturous reception on his return to Old Trafford - and United’s attack extended the generosity in a lack-lustre first half.
Argentine Juan Sebastian Veron was one of few influential United figures, and he was the architect of a move that should have given his side an early lead.
Veron’s fourth minute pass allowed Roy Keane to leave Van Nistelrooy clear, but he shot uncharacteristically wide.
Schmeichel’s most uncomfortable moment in the opening period came when he plunged at the feet of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but otherwise he was well protected.
Villa contributed to the lack of quality in the first half by constantly squandering possession, but they were not punished as United’s finishing was worse than wayward.
England World Cup hopeful Darius Vassell was handed a more defensive role by boss Taylor, although he showed a flash of inspiration after 38 minutes when he sent an overhead kick wide.
All Villa’s comfortable resistance was undone after 49 minutes - and Boateng was the culprit as he gifted Holland colleague Van Nistelrooy the opener.
Boateng ran into trouble instead of clearing, and when Keane and Solskjaer robbed him, the predatory Van Nistelrooy was on hand to turn and beat Schmeichel.
It was the signal for United to attempt to force home their advantage, with Veron troubling Schmeichel and Van Nistelrooy shooting narrowly off target.
They failed to grab a second goal, but it was more than enough against a Villa side high on perspiration but short on inspiration.