THE INDIE FIRST - 'FORLAN LEAVES FERGIE IN GOOD HEART'
Sir Alex Ferguson had his heart rhythms sorted out this week and now - after the worrying irregularity of two straight defeats - his team have started ticking over smoothly again too.
The surgeon who carried out yesterday's operation was Ruud van Nistelrooy, with two scalpel-sharp incisions which had ensured by half-time that his manager's weekend would be free of stress.
United then virtually took the rest of the afternoon off, but in a remarkable closing minute, Van Nistelrooy's replacement, Diego Forlan, helped himself to a brace which made the scoreline reflect United's quality and Villa's wretchedness. And with United's main rivals in the three-horse race at the top of the Premiership slipping up, the horse-loving Ferguson will be delighted that all bets are on again.
The senior players rested for the Carling Cup defeat at West Brom all returned, fresh and eager to show that the previous week's loss to Chelsea was a distant memory. Captain Roy Keane led the way, sweeping up in front of his defenders, orchestrating the midfield and bursting forward into attack whenever he felt more clout was called for.
It wasn't quite classic United - Villa never forced them to move out of first gear - but there was no weak link, right from the cool assurance of the back four to the calm efficiency of the strikers.
By contrast, Villa showed almost no initiative, and Keane nearly punished them with an early shot that Lee Hendrie kicked off the line. But Villa's relief was short-lived. After just 15 minutes, their resistance was broken with the simplest of goals. United's strikers, Kleberson and Van Nistelrooy, combined down the middle with a neat one-two which allowed the Dutchman to finish unchallenged from six yards to register his 10th League goal of the season.
THE OBSERVER - 'VAN NISTELROOY KEEPS IT ROUTINE FOR UNITED'
'Routine' has been the keyword at Old Trafford this week. Following the routine heart procedure performed on manager Sir Alex Ferguson on Thursday, Manchester United carried out a similarly routine procedure on a listless, lifeless Aston Villa.
Two first-half goals from the prolific Ruud van Nistelrooy and a pair of late strikes from Diego Forlan were more than enough to keep United pushing on near the top of the Premiership and Villa heading in the opposite direction. If Ferguson's heart specialists have any lingering concerns about the pressures imposed by their patient's employment, then yesterday's stress-free stroll will have done all concerned the world of good.
Chelsea and Arsenal even played their part in Ferguson's recuperation, unexpectedly dropping points, while there was also the opportunity for Paul Scholes to return from hernia surgery with a well-timed - given the week's upcoming games against Stuttgart and Man chester City - substitute's half-hour.
Ferguson's stars could hardly have been better aligned and the manager's pre-match vow that it is business as usual at Old Trafford looked all too prophetic. 'It's a non-issue,' he snapped when quizzed about his health. 'It's something that's happened, it was corrected on Thursday afternoon and I was back to normal.'
So, too, were his team after a week which also brought defeats against Chelsea and West Brom. Roy Keane's sweeping sixth-minute strike was cleared off the line by Lee Hendrie as a taste of things to come, and 10 minutes later Van Nistelrooy scored his 10th Premiership goal of the campaign.
THE SUNDAY TIMES - 'UNITED IN RUUD HEALTH'
At a time when so much praise has been deservedly bestowed on Thierry Henry, it was interesting to watch Ruud van Nistelrooy go about his afternoon’s work. He doesn’t have the breathtaking touch of Henry, or the same silky skill, but what an outstanding centre-forward. His two first-half goals won the match for Manchester United. They were the 13th and 14th of this campaign and we are still some way short of the halfway mark. Another season, another 30.
Van Nistelrooy turned up yesterday in black gloves. Respect for the imminent passing of Aston Villa or protection against the cold? He was the only player on the pitch wearing gloves, for he knew more than the rest of us: it would take more than Villa to keep him warm. Without breaking sweat, his goals decided everything.
Van Nistelrooy’s first, after a one-two with Kleberson, was a sweeping, authoritative finish and then, even more typical, a half-chance was transformed into a second goal by a confident turn and the customary strike.
The opening goal came in the 16th minute, at the point in the match when you thought United needed to stir themselves. Quinton Fortune’s pass picked out the centre-forward, he linked with Kleberson, whose neat control befuddled Villa’s defence. With the defenders at sixes and sevens, Kleberson picked out the No 9 and the net shook.
For poor Villa, a one-goal deficit isn’t so much a challenge as a lost cause. They don’t do goals. Darius Vassell ran hard, Lee Hendrie and Gavin McCann scrapped away in midfield, but Tim Howard wasn’t exactly feeling the heat. One goal for Van Nistelrooy became two right on half-time. If the first showed how he can play as well as score, the second demonstrated precisely why you would always hesitate before choosing anybody, Henry included, before Van Nistelrooy.
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH - 'VAN NISTELROOY STEERS UNITED BACK ON TRACK'
It was routine rather than inspired, but that will do for Manchester United and their manager right now. Two goals from Ruud Van Nistelrooy effectively concluded business and two more by Diego Forlan, at the end, flattered the home side.
Villa offered accommodating opposition, barely mounting an attack of significance through the first half. Their only opportunities fell to the ubiquitous Dion Dublin. Alas for Dublin, he could convert neither. However, he was almost faultless at the back, proving a stubborn and accomplished barrier.
United had much the better of the first half but frustratingly for them, Dublin repeatedly repelled their assaults.
Match details
Man Utd: Howard, Gary Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Fortune, Ronaldo, Phil Neville (Bellion 59), Keane, Kleberson, Giggs (Scholes 59), van Nistelrooy (Forlan 72).
Subs Not Used: Carroll, O'Shea.
Goals: van Nistelrooy 16, 45, Forlan 90, 90.
Aston Villa: Sorensen, Delaney, Mellberg, Dublin, Samuel, McCann, Hendrie, Barry, Whittingham (Hitzlsperger 72), Angel (Allback 64), Vassell.
Subs Not Used: Postma, De la Cruz, Ridgewell.
Booked: Hendrie.
Att: 67,621
Ref: S Dunn (Gloucestershire).