The teams:
Villa: Friedel, L. Young, Dunne, Collins, Cuellar, Petrov, Delph, Downing, Young, Milner, Agbonlahor.
United: Van Der Sar, Evra, Brown, Evans, De Silva, Giggs, Carrick, Nani, Scholes, Fletcher, Rooney.
No Heskey and no Carew for Villa, hurts a squad that is already struggling for goals in the EPL. United the better of possession through he first 15 minutes, but that's no surprise. Villa will look to spring the speedy Agbonlahor on the break.
Carlos Cuellar has been pushing upfield from his center half position. Villa wins a corner in the 18th minute after a deflected shot. Van Der Sar punches the corner away....but the ball is played in to the box and finds its way to the head of Cuellar....who scores! Lobbed header over Van Der Sar. Cuellar was getting forward and it paid off there following the corner. Villa up 1-0 in the 20th minute.
United waste no time in equalizing. The in-form Nani sends long cross past the goal to Giggs in the box, who sends it back to the middle where James Collins puts in an unfortuante own goal. I think that's 10 o.g's for United this year.
Nani gets sent off in what is an action filled game at Villa Park. The Portugal international goes flying through the air with a two-footed challenge on Petrov, and actually seems to win the ball. But just such an unnecessary move on Nani's part. Red card perhaps harsh. United down to 10 men in just the 32nd minute.
Rooney playing as the lone front man for 10-man United, looking to spring an offsides trap, but Villa appear to have well in their sights. Will Martin O'Neil bring in another striker and satisfy the Villa Park faithful, or stay with his original formation? United still look dangerous.
John Carew coming on for Villa and already making an impact. Villa was having problems crossing the halfway line before that.
Berbatov on for United as SAF thinks United can win this game. Tough to disagree based on run of play. I feel boos will rain down on Villa even if game ends in a draw.
No boos, but no cheers either as it finishes Villa 1-1 United. It'll be United in second and Villa in 7th when the midweek games finish up. The teams meet again in the Carling Cup final at the end of the month.
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