Man Utd v Aston Villa

Rooney 7′ (pen), 73′ Welbeck 43′ Nani 90′

FT 90 +5
HT 2-0

By Alistair Magowan BBC Sport

Manchester United re-established a five-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League but their victory over Aston Villa was aided by another controversial penalty.

Ashley Young, who won a spot-kick last week against QPR, was involved again, adjudged to be tripped by Ciaran Clark.

Contact between the pair was minimal but Wayne Rooney converted before Danny Welbeck made it 2-0 at the back post.

Villa improved after the break but Rooney and Nani sealed victory.

United were the superior team, especially in the first half, and the win also cut Manchester City's goal difference advantage to four goals.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson

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Young went down quite easily - Ferguson

But questions will be asked of Young, after Clark appeared to pull his foot away from the winger.

Young's former team-mates failed to improve a wretched record against United, which now extends to one win in 31 games.

More importantly, they remain just six points above the relegation zone but they will look at games against Sunderland, Bolton and West Brom as a better chance of accruing points than a trip to Old Trafford.

Recent penalty controversies

Premier League: Manchester United 2-0 QPR - 8 April - Ashley Young tumbles under a challenge from Shaun Derry, who is sent off
Championship: Doncaster 3-4 Portsmouth - 14 April - Doncaster's Habib Beye is sent off after Dave Kitson's fall. Defeat sees Rovers relegated to League One
Scottish Cup - Hearts 2-1 Celtic - 15 April - Celtic's Joe Ledley blocks a Hearts shot in stoppage time, with Craig Beattie's penalty the winner
Premier League Fulham 1-1 Chelsea - 9 April - Referee Mark Clattenburg awards a penalty for a foul by Danny Murphy on Salomon Kalou
FA Cup Tottenham 3-1 Stevenage - 7 March - Mark Roberts penalised for a foul on Gareth Bale, although replays suggest minimal contact

For United, victory was a perfect response after losing at Wigan on Wednesday and they were not put under any sustained pressure, hard as Villa fought.

Before the spot-kick controversy, Andreas Weimann had tested David de Gea and Clark almost made amends for his transgression later in the half when his header whistled wide.

Stephen Ireland's curling shot also went close, but United were well on top and could have extended their lead through efforts by Welbeck, Rooney and Paul Scholes.

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McLeish unhappy with penalty decision

Visiting keeper Shay Given had to be on top form to tip one Welbeck shot over, and he was severely let down by his defence for United's second.

Patrice Evra overlapped on the left and although his low cross was delivered into a dangerous area, it was well within the reach of James Collins and Nathan Baker, who inexplicably chose to leave it allowing Welbeck to slide in at the back post.

Scholes was once again the dictator in midfield, having being left out of the defeat by Wigan.

But the 37-year-old was booked for an ugly tackle on Gabriel Agbonlahor early in the second half, as Villa attempted to impose themselves on the game.

They had some success in stemming the flow towards their goal and Emile Heskey, who replaced the injured Clark, had a header tipped over by De Gea, while Nathan Baker also headed inches wide from a corner.

McLeish may take a dim view of the first goal, but Villa can have few complaints about the result - if there were any doubts about the direction of the game, Rooney made sure when he tucked in Antonio Valencia's cutback for his 32nd goal of the season.

And Nani came on to boost United's goal total when he scored from close range.

Sir Alex Ferguson's team now host Everton before they travel to Etihad Stadium to face City, where - following this result - victory could secure them their 20th top-flight title.

Lineup, Bookings (6) & Substitutions (6)

Manchester United

01 De Gea
03 Evra
05 Ferdinand
06 Evans
21 Rafael
16 Carrick Booked
18 Young (Nani - 61' Booked )
22 Scholes Booked (Cleverley - 78' )
25 Valencia
10 Rooney (Berbatov - 74' )
19 Welbeck

Substitutes

40 Amos
04 Jones
11 Giggs
17 Nani
23 Cleverley
09 Berbatov
14 Hernandez

Aston Villa

01 Given
02 Hutton Booked
06 Collins
21 Clark (Heskey - 64' )
30 Lichaj
32 Baker
07 Ireland (Carruthers - 75' )
25 Bannan Booked
38 Gardner Booked
11 Agbonlahor
26 Weimann (N'Zogbia - 83' )

Substitutes

22 Guzan
24 Cuellar
10 N'Zogbia
35 Johnson
40 Carruthers
14 Delfouneso
18 Heskey

Ref: Halsey

Att: 75,138

Match Stats

Possession 61 39

Shots

24 10

On target

16 4

Corners

11 4

Fouls

9 7

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +4:38 Full time

Full Time The referee signals the end of the game.

90:00 +4:00

Effort on goal by Tom Cleverley from just outside the area goes harmlessly over the target.

90:00 +2:27

The assist for the goal came from Jonathan Evans.

90:00 +2:27 Goal scored

Goal - Luis Nani - Man Utd 4 - 0 A Villa Luis Nani scores a goal from deep inside the penalty box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Man Utd 4-0 Aston Villa.

90:00 +2:21

Luis Nani produces a cross, Nathan Baker makes a clearance.

90:00 +1:17

Direct free kick taken by James Collins.

90:00 +1:17 Booking

Booking Luis Nani receives a caution for unsporting behaviour.

90:00 +1:13

Alan Hutton fouled by Luis Nani, the ref awards a free kick.

90:00 +0:51

Free kick taken by Rio Ferdinand.

90:00 +0:51 Booking

Booking Caution for Barry Bannan.

90:00 +0:34

Barry Bannan gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Michael Carrick.

89:11

Patrice Evra crosses the ball, Dimitar Berbatov takes a shot. Eric Lichaj gets a block in. Corner taken by Luis Nani, Close range headed effort by Jonathan Evans misses to the right of the goal.

86:36

Barry Bannan takes the outswinging corner, Unfair challenge on Dimitar Berbatov by Nathan Baker results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by David De Gea.

85:16

Corner taken left-footed by Barry Bannan, Headed effort from inside the area by James Collins misses to the left of the target.

82:50 Substitution

Substitution Charles N'Zogbia comes on in place of Andreas Weimann.

80:25

Drilled right-footed shot by Antonio Valencia. Blocked by Eric Lichaj. Antonio Valencia decides to take a short corner.

79:14

Antonio Valencia takes a shot. Barry Bannan gets a block in. Antonio Valencia takes a outswinging corner to the near post.

78:38

Danny Welbeck takes a shot. Save made by Shay Given. Short corner taken by Luis Nani.

78:11

The ball is swung over by Luis Nani, Samir Carruthers gets a block in. Antonio Valencia decides to take the corner short.

77:31 Substitution

Substitution Paul Scholes goes off and Tom Cleverley comes on.

75:21

Free kick awarded for a foul by Michael Carrick on Samir Carruthers. Gary Gardner has a direct shot on goal from the free kick.

73:59 Substitution

Substitution (Aston Villa) makes a substitution, with Samir Carruthers coming on for Stephen Ireland.

73:59 Substitution

Substitution Dimitar Berbatov comes on in place of Wayne Rooney.

72:59

A cross is delivered by Antonio Valencia,

72:58

The assist for the goal came from Antonio Valencia.

72:58 Goal scored

Goal - Wayne Rooney - Man Utd 3 - 0 A Villa Wayne Rooney finds the back of the net with a goal from deep inside the penalty box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Man Utd 3-0 Aston Villa.