FIRST HALF - UNITED SHOW PROMISE
Ruben Amorim made three changes to the the XI that experienced heartache in the Europa League final, with Altay Bayindir getting the nod between the sticks, while Victor Lindelof and Ayden Heaven were introduced to flank Harry Maguire in our back three. Andre Onana, Leny Yoro and Luke Shaw were the three to make way.
In the opposition ranks, Unai Emery had plenty of strength to call upon, including their now-record Premier League goalscorer Olllie Watkins and former Real Madrid ace Marco Asensio, but Marcus Rashford, absent of late for the Villans through injury in any case, was ineligible to feature as part of the terms of his loan spell away from M16.
It was one of the away side's big names at the other end of the field who was most heavily involved in the action early on, however, as United started on the front foot and could have taken the lead on a couple of occasions inside the opening quarter of an hour, but for the commanding presence of Martinez in the Villa goal.
Mason Mount was first to suffer from the Argentinian's shot-stopping expertise, with two quickfire efforts in the third minute. The midfielder brilliantly volleyed goalwards from a Noussair Mazraoui cross down the right, with Martinez palming clear with a strong right hand, before Hojlund fed it back into the box to find Mount again, whose header, though firm, went straight at the Villans' no.23.
A sensational piece of play started and ended by Bruno Fernandes, interspersed by single-touch passes from Amad and Mazraoui, led Martinez to make another save, holding a stinging low strike from our captain at his near post. He got down well again, minutes later, to prevent a 20-yard effort by Casemiro from sneaking inside the near post.
Mount then crossed well from the left, as his delivery narrowly evaded Hojlund, looking to head it towards goal, but Amad looked set to apply the perfect touch just behind him, when he sidefooted a shot just beyond the bottom right-hand corner, with Martinez unmoved on that occasion. Mount had seen a dangerous strike inadvertently blocked by Hojlund just before then, too.