Michael Carrick became only the fourth manager in Premier League history to win his first six home matches in the competition, as Manchester United defeated Aston Villa 3-1 to strengthen their position in the top four.

Although United suffered a setback in their previous outing with a defeat at St James’ Park, returning to Old Trafford offered a chance to respond.

The Red Devils dominated much of the first half but struggled to convert their control into a goal. Amad Diallo came close when he narrowly missed connecting with a dangerous cross from Matheus Cunha on the left flank.

Amad later created the game’s first major opportunity, directing a header toward goal despite being one of the smallest players on the pitch. However, Emiliano Martínez produced an excellent one-handed save to push the ball away.

Despite those moments, the opening half failed to live up to its Super Sunday expectations. A wayward effort from Bryan Mbeumo — which went closer to the touchline than the goal — summed up the lack of quality during the first 45 minutes.

The best chance before the break arrived just before halftime when Diogo Dalot slipped past Lucas Digne with a clever first touch to create space in front of goal. However, his follow-up strike was poorly executed, sailing well over the crossbar.

Manchester United looked far more dangerous after the restart and took the lead within 10 minutes of the second half.

The goal came from a set-piece, but the execution was anything but simple. Casemiro made a clever run across the near post and expertly directed a header from Bruno Fernandes’ corner beyond the reach of Emiliano Martínez.

The breakthrough appeared to spark a response from Aston Villa, who nearly equalised moments later when Amadou Onana fired a powerful shot that forced Senne Lammens into a sharp save.