For the first 10 minutes Villa looked like the home team. OK, you don’t win games in the first 10 minutes, but there seemed something different about dominating the opening of this game. One of those things you can’t quite put your finger on, but Utd didn’t look like they had much confidence – they were definitely there for the taking.

And then of course, true to form, the visitors conspired to gift the home team an opener. A lack of communication & decision making at the back led to Milner tapping the ball back to Friedel who had to gather under pressure, handing Utd an indirect free kick in the box in the process. Ronaldo put the ball in the top corner at the far post. 1-0.

The goal seemed to spark a lacklustre Utd into life and I feared another Anfield style mauling. But the Villans withstood the pressure and didn’t let their heads drop. Although Utd dominated possession, Villa were good value for Carew’s headed equaliser. Game on, 1-1.

The teams went into the break even at one a piece and neither side could really complain. However, if Utd considered their part in the scoreline a little fortunate then they might have a point.

Villa took the initiative from the restart, so it seemed inevitable that Utd would take the lead against the run of play. Not so. Carew made the most of Ronaldo losing possession by lofting in a cross for Gabby to nod in largely unchallenged. 32 minutes of regular time left to play. Plenty of time for Utd to get back.

Ferguson responded by sending on 17 year old Italian Federico Macheda, fresh from scoring a midweek hat trick for the reserves. A move that would ultimately prove a stroke of genius.

For 20 minutes or so the game ebbed and flowed. Utd pressed for an equaliser and Villa looked to explore the gaps at the back on the counter. Gabby in particular made the most of space vacated by Gary Neville venturing forward. However, the pressure eventually paid dividends after some interchanges between Giggs, Carrick and Ronaldo resulted in the winger firing into the corner from 20 yards.

10 minutes left to play. I’d have taken a point before this game as I’m sure most Villa fans would have. At this stage, I suspect most Utd fans would also have taken a point. But this is Manchester Utd playing at home with 10 minutes plus whatever the referee adds, you had to know this wasn’t over yet.

Utd probably looked the more dangerous for the remainder of normal time, but Villa showed they still had the speed and will to exploit any errors by the home team. The game could easily have gone either way, but if it stayed 2-2 I don’t think too many would complain.

And then the clock ticked past the 90 minutes and the assistant ref raised the electronic board indicating 5 minutes of extra time would be played. Utd needed three of those minutes to win the game in a fashion you just couldn’t make up. Yup, that 17 year old reserve player you’ve never heard of hit a wonderful curling shot from the edge of the box after some Cruyff-like work to create the room. Credit where it’s due, it was a superb goal, but let’s not dwell on it. Game over, we lost.

I don’t want to sound bitter, but I can’t think where the five extra minutes came from. OK, Utd scored after three, but how much encouragement were they given by that simple number held up on the board?? Who knows, but I think it’s about time we started to have some transparency about how referees come up with this number.

Anyway, it’s done now. It is what it is. Does coming close to something at Old Trafford and losing hurt more than getting taken to pieces at Anfield last time out?? For some, I think it does. For me, it doesn’t. I didn’t expect much from either of these games, but if I were forced to predict a point from somewhere it would have been at Anfield. To get taken to bits in that fashion was humiliating. Today we gave Utd a very good run for their money.

Look at it this way; which result would you take more confidence from going into the next game?? Yeah, that’s what I thought too. Mind you, Everton probably have their tails back up again after today’s 4-0 home win over Wigan.

The doom & gloom merchants wrote off our season several games ago, so I suppose today’s result would just confirm our early demise for them. I’ve been looking past this sequence of games for some time and we’re now entering the final run of games that I truly feel we can squeeze out more points than our immediate competitors can.

However, that run starts with Everton at Villa Park next Sunday. Clichéd as it might be, it’s a real six-pointer and I believe will be the true fulcrum for the success of the season. More to follow on that very subject later this week.