Bertrand Traoré’s stunning goal was in vain as Aston Villa narrowly lost out to Manchester United at Villa Park.
The winger scored a Goal of the Season contender to cap a strong first half display as the hosts kept second place United at bay to lead 1-0.
But after the break, two goals in four minutes from Bruno Fernandes and Mason Greenwood turned the game on its head before Edinson Cavani finished off the scoring late on as the Red Devils stretched their unbeaten away run to 25 Premier League games.
Villa ended the game with ten men after Ollie Watkins was shown a second yellow card as Dean Smith’s team stay 11th in the table.
United last suffered a league defeat at Villa Park back in 1995, a run that spanned 21 games ahead of kick-off, and the visitors looked sharp early-on through attackers Greenwood, Marcus Rashford and Fernandes.
But a Villa defence with 14 clean sheets to their name this season navigated their way through the first 20 minutes without a serious scare, providing the platform for some bright moments in attack.
And with 24 minutes on the clock, the hosts took the lead in sublime style. Some dogged work from John McGinn robbed Scott McTominay of possession before Douglas Luiz fed Traoré, who spun his defender and sent a left-foot shot across goal and into the top corner.
United’s response to the goal was subdued and Villa were holding them at arm’s length, with Emiliano Martinez only called upon to deal with speculative efforts.
And when the Argentine was unable to deal properly with Greenwood’s shot across goal just before the break, Ezri Konsa was there to clean up ahead of the waiting attackers.
Villa were good value for their lead and came close to doubling it with the last action of the half as Watkins forced Dean Henderson into a full-length dive to stop his low shot.
When the sides emerged for the second half, Villa picked up where they’d left-off with Anwar El Ghazi firing on target after being teed up by Ross Barkley.
But within seven minutes of the restart United had drawn level as Fernandes stroked home a spot kick following Luiz’s foul on Paul Pogba.
The comeback was complete three minutes later when Greenwood rolled Tyrone Mings and lashed the ball past Martinez at his near post.
It was harsh on the home side, who came close to hitting back when Harry Maguire forced Henderson into a save from Matt Targett’s dangerous cross.
Another superb delivery from the left-back was met by Watkins, whose header back across goal looked set to be tapped home by El Ghazi before the intervention of Cavani.
Keinan Davis and Wesley were introduced as Villa pushed for a leveller, but they could only watch as Cavani nipped ahead of Matty Cash to plant a header past Martinez in the closing minutes.
A further blow for Villa arrived after 89 minutes when Watkins was given his marching orders after picking up a second yellow card.
Aston Villa: Martinez, Mings, Cash, Targett, Konsa, Barkley (Davis 77'), El Ghazi (Wesley 77'), Traoré, Douglas Luiz (Ramsey 65'), McGinn, Watkins
Subs: Ahmed El Mohamady, Davis, Chukwuemeka, Wesley, Nakamba, Philogene-Bidace, Heaton, Hause, Ramsey
Man Utd: Henderson, Shaw, Lindelöf, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire (Bailly 78'), Bruno Fernandes (Matic 86'), Fred, Greenwood (Cavani 65'), McTominay, Pogba, Rashford
Subs: Bailly, Alex Telles, Williams, Matic, Mata, Cavani, Tuanzebe, van de Beek, de Gea
