Hogan is proving a real bonus for Brucie
SCOTT HOGAN was Aston Villa’s matchwinner with two goals in two minutes to pave the way to another Championship home victory.
Hogan, who has now scored four goals in his last three games, struggled in the early part of the season.
But he destroyed Barnsley in the opening 10 minutes to send a strong message to boss Steve Bruce that the club does not need another striker.
Bruce said: “We did exceptionally well for an hour, then went a bit sloppy and a bit negative, and possibly thought it was going to be too easy.
“We had two or three unbelievable chances to make it four and didn’t take them and that gave them a bit of a lifeline.
“They had one or two chances themselves but, all in all, it was a comfortable victory.
“I’m delighted with Scott Hogan. He’s scored another two goals today and was a real threat all game.”
The Republic of Ireland international was on the mark in the fifth minute when he converted a pass from Robert Snodgrass.
Two minutes later, the pair combined again when Hogan headed home a Snodgrass corner.
Villa allowed Barnsley to get back into the game with a goal from Dimitri Cavare from a Stevie Mallan corner.
In a pulsating start, which produced all four goals in the opening 19 minutes, Villa then regained the initiative when Conor Hourihane notched Villa’s third against his old club, who have now only one win in their last 13 games.
Hogan should have completed his hat-trick early in the second half when he shot wide of an open goal from close range, while Hourihane wasted a similar opportunity.
Barnsley boss Paul Heckingbottom said: “All three goals are absolutely scandalous on our part – if you’re going to do that, and miss chances at the other end, you’re not going to win.
“We paid Villa way too much respect at the start of the game and paid a harsh price.”
ON A day when the match sponsors were an oil company, Anthony Martial guaranteed there would be no slip-ups for millionaires Manchester United.
Martial made the vital breakthrough to break a deadlock which left those watching dumbstruck with the negativity of Jose Mourinho’s men.
But the Red Devils diehards will not be bothered after making the icy trip to snow-clad Burnley.
That is another three valuable league points, 14 clean sheets for keeper David de Gea and an eight-game unbeaten run to keep pushing neighbours City all the way.
Oh, and £35million striker Alexis Sanchez is on the way – much to the relief of Mourinho.
The United boss looked the happiest he has been for a while as he breathed a huge sigh of relief that he could leave Turf Moor with a victory.
Mourinho said: “I’m pleased. It’s a different kind of performance you try to have but it was the performance needed to get a result against a brave team like Burnley.
“We know the way Burnley play. They are better playing that way than any other.
“You have to adapt but we should have scored a second goal to kill it off. We didn’t but we controlled the game.”
Burnley boss Sean Dyche recorded his 100th game as a Premier League manager and he remained in an upbeat mood even though his team are winless in the last seven games.
Dyche said: “I thought the performance was very good.
“You are playing against one of the best teams in the division and I thought we at least matched them. Yes, I’m very pleased with the boys today.”
United emerged through the mist in grey shirts to match their opening performance.
Dull, drab and totally unconvincing against a Burnley side hell-bent on getting right into their faces.
Lacklustre seemed to be the name of the game for Mourinho’s men with no sense of purpose in attempting to break down the Burnley rearguard in early stages of mediocrity.
You prayed they would take their woolly gloves off and take the fight to the Turf Moor marauders – but instead it was Burnley who held the early initiative and James Tarkowski spelled danger in the opening minutes.
Johann Berg Gudmundsson flighted in the perfect free-kick for the defender, who directed his header wide of the target in front of worried travelling supporters.
We waited for 13 minutes before United clicked into first gear with Ashley Young delivering a clever ball into the box for Paul Pogba to steer just over.
Three minutes from the interval, United woke up again when Young tricked his way through the Burnley back line and curled his shot just wide of the upright.
And on the stroke of half-time Martial’s neat footwork took him into the danger zone but he, too, missed the target.
No wonder Mourinho had a face like thunder as he trooped across the pitch, heading for a showdown in the dressing room with his under-performers.
As he left the scene, a local tenor belted