Manchester United picked up their second win in as many matches with a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa at Villa Park in the Premier League this evening.

Adnan Januzaj scored the only goal of the match, slicing in from a tight angle after being set up by Juan Mata in the first half.

The result leaves Villa without a home win over United for 20 years.

Here, Sports Mole rates the individual performances of the players involved.

Goal

Brad Guzan: The Villa keeper only faced two on target efforts all night, and the one that beat him was from an angle that definitely favoured him. It did take a deflection, but he probably could have done better. (5/10)

Defence

Micah Richards: The home side's captain was the pick of the defenders for Villa, running at everything to try to limit United's chances, and he was unlucky not to be awarded a penalty. (8/10)

Ciaran Clark: Clark was kept busy by Mata and Depay, making a string of blocks, but he also deflected the Januzaj shot that ended up in the back of the net. (6/10)

Leandro Bacuna: Bacuna proved a threat at both ends of the pitch, getting forward on several occasions to try to help Villa find a penalty, while using his physical presence to keep United quiet in the home side's box. (7/10)

Jordan Amavi: Amavi was given the freedom to use his pace down the left flank, causing all sorts of problems for Darmian, but he could not connect with Ayew in the box often enough. (7/10)

Midfield

Idrissa Gueye: Gueye worked tirelessly throughout to try to win the ball back for the home side, but his ball into the box did not always find its target. (7/10)

Ashley Westwood: Westwood provided some lovely long balls forward in the first half, playing a big part in a dominant spell for Villa just before the break, but he was kept quieter in the second period. (7/10)

Jordan Veretout: The summer signing made some excellent runs on the right side, working to try to set up Ayew for a goal, before being replaced with 10 minutes remaining. (6/10)

Scott Sinclair: The winger was very lively in the first half, putting in crosses from both sides of the box in a bid to set up a goal for Villa, but he was replaced with half an hour remaining. (7/10)

Attack

Gabriel Agbonlahor: After a quiet start, Agbonlahor really started to put United under pressure early in the second half, but he was unable to find the back of the net. He had the only shot on target for Villa. (6/10)

Jordan Ayew: The striker's wait for his first Premier League goal goes on as he struggled to create space in the United box, while often finding himself isolated up front. (4/10)

Substitutes

Carlos Sanchez: The midfielder came on with just over 10 minutes remaining, and spent most of that time on the defensive as United tried to see out the win, having little impact going forward. (5/10)

Rudy Gestede: The striker was given half an hour to try to score for a second match in a row off the bench, but had few touches in the final third for the home side. (4/10)

Goal

Sergio Romero: The Argentine picked up his second clean sheet in a row, having to make just one save to keep Villa out, pulling off a decent stop to deny Agbonlahor's header. (7/10)

Defence

Chris Smalling: Smalling was kept busy during Villa's dominant spells, but he made some crucial blocks and clearances to keep Villa out in a mature performance. (7/10)

Daley Blind: Blind is not a natural centre-back, but the Dutchman took charge of the back four, ensuring that they kept their shape and worked as a unit to limit the impact of the Villa strikers. (8/10)

Luke Shaw: Shaw made a couple of slips at the back, but did manage to provide a number of tempting balls forward for Rooney. (6/10)

Matteo Darmian: Darmian started well, limiting Amavi down the left flank, but he was lucky not to concede a penalty for a shirt pull on Richards, and ended up getting booked for a run of fouls on the Villa wing-back. (5/10)

Midfield

Memphis Depay: It was an enthusiastic if inaccurate night's work from Depay, getting involved in everything, but struggling with his finishing touch. (5/10)

Juan Mata: Probably the best player on the pitch this evening, Mata set up the only goal of the night, and should have had a second assist when picking out Depay late on, only to see his teammate fire wide. (9/10)

Adnan Januzaj: The goalscorer was something of a surprise inclusion, but the Belgian ended a 17-month wait for a Premier League goal in his first appearance since February, and was busy throughout his 60-minute stint. (8/10)

Michael Carrick: Carrick had a clinical if unspectacular stint in midfield before making way for Schweinsteiger for the final half hour. (5/10)

Morgan Schneiderlin: Schneiderlin worked hard throughout the 90 minutes, helping out at the back as well as getting forward in a bid to create chances for the visitors. (7/10)

Attack

Wayne Rooney: It was something of an anonymous night for the captain, barely getting a touch in the box, while giving away the ball in the middle on a number of occasions. (4/10)

Substitutes

Ashley Young: Young was booed constantly by the supporters of his former side when he came on for Depay late on, but he did put a couple of decent balls in towards Rooney (6/10)

Ander Herrera: Herrera came on with 30 minutes remaining to try to halt a resurgence by Villa, and he did well, slowing the home side's charge. (7/10)

Bastian Schweinsteiger: Given a 30-minute runout for the second match in a row, the German helped get the ball out from the back, allowing Mata to play a more attacking role late on. (6/10)

Written by
Sian Cowper