90+2 min Reina makes an excellent save with his feet to deny Rashford, who was put through by a lovely ball from Pogba.

90 min Three minutes of added time.

89 min This is the Premier League table since Bruno Fernandes joined United at the end of January. United are a point behind the leaders Liverpool with a game in hand. And Burnley are above Man City.

87 min Fred is booked for what looked like a fair tackle on Grealish.

84 min Villa make another substitution. Douglas Luiz is replaced by Indiana Vassilev.

83 min At the other end, Williams makes a fine block from Hourihane’s shot.

82 min Rashford lifts the free-kick over the bar.

81 min James runs 50 yards and is tripped by Nakamba, who is booked.

78 min A double change for United: Odion Ighalo and Daniel James replace Greenwood and Martial, who is not happy to be taken off when he hasn’t scored.

75 min Rashford slides a good pass down the left side of the area to Shaw, whose low cross is put behind for a corner.

75 min Both teams are waiting for the final whistle.

71 min Another United change: Fred replaces the marvellous Bruno Fernandes, who continues to have the most profound impact of a new United signing since Eric Cantona.

70 min “Quite apart from all the VAR stuff, it must be noted just how limp Villa look and how poorly their captain is playing, says Andrew Donald. “Grealish barely attempted to block Pogba’s shot for the third goal and has the look of a man resigned to leaving at the end of the season.”

Yes, he doesn’t demand the ball nearly as much as he was a few months ago. There are a few possible reasons, but his morale looks very low.

69 min Time for a drinks break. This game is over.

67 min One important thing about Greenwood, which he showed again on his goal, is that he is brilliant at finding a bit of space 20 or 25 yards from goal - just enough space for him to turn and either run at the defence or launch one into the corner. That level of awareness is very unusual in a teenager.

66 min Grealish curls well wide from the left side of the box. And Manchester United make two changes: Scott McTominay and Brandon Williams replace Matic and Wan-Bissaka.

65 min If it stays like this, United will become the first team in Premier League history to win four consecutive games by three goals. I think.

64 min Jack Grealish has a problem with his left ankle. He wants to continue but surely he should be taken off as a precaution.

63 min Villa’s next game is pretty much a must-win: Palace at home on Sunday.

62 min “Sure, Greenwood is alright, I guess,” says Matt Dony. “But you just wait until Brewster lights up the Premier League next season...”

He’ll score millions.

61 min: Martial hits the bar! This could get nasty for Villa, and not in a good way. Fernandes plays in Martial on the left side of the area, and he thunders a shot off the underside of the bar with his left foot.

59 min A triple change for Villa. Conor Hourihane, Keinan Davis and Marvelous Nakamba replace McGinn, El Ghazi and Samatta.

57 min Rashford plays in Martial, who is superbly denied by the sliding Taylor. Great tackle.

56 min Pogba has a goal disallowed for offside. He was miles ahead of the last defender when Rashford’s shot hit him and beat Reina.

55 min Tom Levesley writes in to remind me that VAR hasn’t been entirely unkind to Villa this season.

54 min McGinn’s long-range shot is comfortably held by de Gea.

53 min Konsa is booked for pulling back Rashford.

53 min “Loving all the ABU moaning,” says Andrew Reinholds. “A sure sign United are heading in the right direction!”

52 min Villa have made a poor, subdued start to the second half.

50 min “Evening Rob,” says Brad McMillan. “I hate VAR too, and tonight I’ve been wondering about its potential impact on football in future, particularly on youth development. It’s not a new anti-VAR argument to suggest football should be played according to the same rules everywhere, at every level and at every age, but it had never occurred to me before now that we could see rich clubs introduce this on their youth training grounds and effectively start to create a new breed of VAR-savvy player, only the like of which could go on to succeed at the top levels where VAR is used.”

I know what you mean, but how do you become VAR-savvy when it’s such a capricious shambles?

49 min Wan-Bissaka misses a great chance, heading just wide from six yards after a delicious cross by Rashford.

48 min Samatta falls in the area under challenge from Maguire. There was a bit of contact but nothing penalty-worthy.

47 min “I know the Spurs game was AWFUL and this one not massively better, but thank god for football,” says Rachel Clifton. “Four months of lockdown in NYC made much more bearable…”

46 min Peep peep! Villa begin the second half.

“Hey Rob,” says J.R. in Illinois. “What was Konsa thinking letting Fernandes stand on his ankle like that? Silly man. VAR really is something else though, innit? I’m not even tired of it. The fivefold sense of injustice you mentioned makes me feel five times as alive. I’ve got a business proposal. How about we co-publish a book which contains all my emails to you that mention VAR? We can split the proceeds 60/40. How much do you think we’d rake in?”

What’s 60 per cent of 12p?

“1995-96 Manchester United away kit press release” is the subject of Mac Millings’ email. Trust me, it’s better than it sounds.

“Villa are in claret and blue. United are wearing their away strip. Breaking away from the traditional colours of a United away jersey, the shirt features a fresh stratus-toned aesthetic and intricate patterned design, that takes its inspiration from the mosaic of clouds that adorns the skies of Manchester’s creative distr- well, *all* Manchester’s districts, if we’re being honest.

“Blending in with a new colourless palette, the new stealth away shirt continues to blur the lines between player and crowd, blending both cultures into a single piece of design, which can barely be seen on our away trips, and definitely won’t ever again after half time of the Southampton game on April 13th.”

“You’re right that Fernandes one was ‘such a tight one’ - did he deliberately stamp on Konsa’s ankle or not?” says Stefan Volkmann. “Hard to say whether it he should have been a red. A penalty is an absolute joke. Fernandes literally ran into him and stamped on him as he did so. You usually do a good job of staying impartial but I fear you’ve got the Fergie goggles on there.”

Thanks for the patronisation. I said that having seen one replay, while trying to do a million other things. Then I saw more replays, and realised – and wrote – that it was a dreadful decision. This stuff isn’t easy, you know, especially when your cognitive function is on a slippery one.

Martual played a square pass to Greenwood, in a bit of space 22 yards from goal. He moved the ball away from Douglas Luiz, onto his right foot, and simply belted it past Reina. He is an extraordinary finisher.

45+3 min Matic is booked for fouling someone.

45+1 min Four minutes of added time.

45 min: Bruno Fernandes misses an excellent chance! Shaw played a neat one-two with Martial on the left side of the area and stood up a fine cross towards the unmarked Fernandes. He leapt dramatically towards the ball but headed it this far over the crossbar.

45 min I’m bored.

44 min “Look no further than penalties for Man United for arguments against VAR,” says Mat Oakley. “Four awarded to them since the restart. At least three should have been overturned. Only one was.”

You do know that all professional football is fixed to benefit the big teams, right?

43 min This game has been pretty anodyne, that VAR shambles aside.

42 min Here’s Ian Copestake. “VAR should be reviewed VAR-style at season’s end and the percentile of bad decisions against helpful ones divvied up and put through an electoral college to determine the winner in a Eurovision contest format vote decided at home by you the viewer.”

40 min McGinn’s deep free-kick is half-volleyed wide by Hause at the far post. It wasn’t much of a chance.

40 min Wan-Bissaka was booked for an ill-conceived, poorly executed tackle on Samatta.

40 min “One of the worst decisions involving VAR that I’ve seen,” says Keith Sanderson. “If anything it was dangerous play by Fernandez. Villa have been mugged there.”

Yes, it was a real stinker.

39 min McGinn’s long-range shot is blocked by Maguire.

39 min No penalty. It was a slightly clumsy challenge for Douglas Luiz but nowhere near enough contact for a penalty.

38 min United appeal unsuccessfully for a penalty when Rashford is bounced to the floor by Douglas Luiz. There will be a fake riot if VAR gives this.

37 min Reina makes a better save to deny Greenwood. He received the ball 25 yards from goal, ran to the edge of the area and dragged a low shot that was palmed away by the sprawling Reina. Greenwood didn’t connect cleanly with the shot.

35 min Martial runs at Konsa, moves the ball onto his right foot and hits a low shot that is comfortably saved by Reina.

34 min That penalty decision is getting worse with every replay. Fernandes fell into Konsa, and also stood on his ankle by accident. Konsa didn’t even foul Fernandes a split-second later, as I first thought. As far as I can see, he did absolutely nothing wrong.

33 min “I thought VAR was looking at a possible red card against Fernandes,” says Simon McGrother. “That is a bizarre decision.”

I hate VAR. It’s one thing to suffer a bad decision, but when it’s VAR-approved the sense of injustice increases fivefold.

32 min That was United’s 13th penalty in the league this season, which equals the record set by Andy Johnson in 2004-05 and Leicester City in 2015-16.

31 min “Villa fan here,” says David Bertram. “Outside of Grealish, who else will jump ship when the obvious is made official?”

I’d imagine there will be a lot of interest in Mings and McGinn.

30 min The more I see that replay, the less I think it was a penalty. Fernandes didn’t dive, it was just a collision as he pirouetted to shield the ball from Konsa.

PENALTY GIVEN! Fernandes did well to shield the ball from Konsa, but if anything he fouled Konsa before Konsa brought him down a split-second later. It might also have been outside the area. This is such a tight one, because I don’t know whether there’s enough evidence to overturn the decision. Apparently there isn’t: the decision has been upheld.

PENALTY TO UNITED! Konsa has been penalised for fouling Fernandes. Villa are convinced it wasn’t a foul - and I think they might be right. VAR are looking at it.

25 min: Trezeguet hits the post! Pogba dawdled on the edge of the centre circle and was robbed by Trezeguet. He ran to within 22 yards of goal before curling a low shot that beat de Gea and hit the outside of the post.

23 min Time for a drinks break.

21 min Martial’s pass to Greenwood goes behind for a goalkick, a reflection of a sloppy start from United.

20 min Villa have been the better team in the first quarter.

19 min “Years ago, before instant info on games, I had a friend (an Arsenal fan) text me score updates from United v Villa,” says Liam Maloney. “He had Villa 2-0 up within minutes of kick-off, leaving me (a United fan) fuming. That’s not how the game turned out, of course. I haven’t asked him for score updates since!”

18 min: Grealish misses a good chance. Konsa’s excellent deep cross found him in space on the left edge of the six-yard box. He tried desperately to control the volley with his left foot but it sliced off his ankle and wide of goal.

18 min Konsa’s deep cross is headed by Douglas Luiz onto the back of Wan-Bissaka and behind for a corner. This is a decent spell for Villa. Grealish’s corner is punched away by de Gea.

16 min It hasn’t been much of a game so far. Villa look solid defensively.

13 min After a patient build-up on the right, Pogba whips in a cross that is miscontrolled by Mings at the near post and cleared by Hause behind him.

10 min Douglas Luiz hits it into the wall.

9 min Fernandes fouls El Ghazi 25 yards from goal. Douglas Luiz and McGinn are over the ball.

5 min The game has started as expected, with lots of United possession and the occasional Villa counter-attack.

4 min At the other end, El Ghazi shoots well wide from distance.

3 min Bruno Fernandes’ cute flick finds Greenwood just inside the area, but he misses his kick completely. Douglas Luiz did put hands on Greenwood’s back but it wasn’t enough for a penalty.

3 min A good move from United down the right. Wan-Bissaka and Martial combine to find Greenwood, whose low cross is kicked away by Taylor.

2 min “United’s away strip,” says Michael George. “It’s beige, isn’t it?”

Pretty much, but you try making a press release out of that.

1 min Peep peep! United kick off from right to left.

Here come the players. Villa are in claret and blue. United are wearing their away strip. Breaking away from the traditional colours of a United away jersey, the shirt features a fresh savannah-toned aesthetic and intricate patterned design, that takes its inspiration from the many mosaics that adorn the streets of Manchester’s creative district, the Northern Quarter.

Standing out with a new colour palette, the striking new away shirt continues to blur the lines between sport and style, blending both cultures in to a single piece of design, which will of course be seen during our away trips in 2019/20. Influenced by the unique artwork of the Northern Quarter, the city is embedded deep within the design as the base colour is overlaid with a subtle pattern.

Villa have dropped to 19th before kick-off by virtue of Bournemouth’s 0-0 draw with Tottenham. The other early game finished Everton 1-1 Southampton.

The last time Villa beat Man Utd at home in the Premier League was 25 years ago. Aye, that game.

Pre-match reading