Brave Villa Go Close

A third round F.A. Cup tie against the Premiership leaders at a packed and passionate Old Trafford is a formidable proposition for any side, but even the most diehard United fan would concede that Martin O’Neill’s Aston Villa played with composure and organisation, competed well, carved out some good chances and in the end were desperately unlucky to lose to an injury time winner from Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer which crept under the diving Kiraly.

35 year old debutant Henrik Larsson, a player the Villa manager knows all about from his days at Celtic, shot United into a 55th minute, but when substitute Milan Baros grabbed an equaliser some 20 minutes later, it seemed that the visitors might hold on for a battling draw and a replay, but it was not to be.