Morgan Rogers scored a sublime double as Aston Villa beat Manchester United 2-1 to head into Christmas just three points off the top of the Premier League.

It was Villa's 10th consecutive win across all competitions and seventh successive top-flight victory for the first time in 36 years.

Rogers opened the scoring in stunning fashion in the 45th minute, before restoring Villa’s lead 12 minutes into the second half at Villa Park.

Man Utd had levelled in first-half stoppage time when Matheus Cunha capitalised on Matty Cash’s mistake.

Shorn of Bruno Fernandes, who went off injured at half-time, United created plenty of openings, with Cunha heading wide from the best of them, but Rogers’ quality ultimately settled it.

Unai Emery’s Villa stay third, within a point of Manchester City and three of leaders Arsenal, while Man Utd will be seventh on Christmas Day.

How the match unfolded

Cunha bent wide to spark a frantic opening in which Ayden Heaven twice denied Ollie Watkins, either side of Senne Lammens thwarting John McGinn, while Rogers’ deft flick from Ian Maatsen’s cross-shot clipped the post.

Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez then smothered a Benjamin Sesko effort at the other end.

Still, despite United building momentum, Villa went in front when Rogers magnificently curled in a beauty after cutting in from the left flank.

Morgan Rogers (centre) fires Villa ahead as Man Utd players look on

Their lead lasted just three minutes, though. Cash was robbed by Patrick Dorgu, with Cunha on hand to finesse a finish beyond Martinez from a tight angle.

Struggling with an apparent hamstring issue, Fernandes was unable to continue after half-time, with Lisandro Martinez brought on in his place, and the substitute soon unleashed a wicked effort from range that just swerved wide.

Yet United’s bright start to the second half was punctured by another moment of brilliance from Rogers, as he beat Leny Yoro to a loose ball and sent another stunning finish beyond Lammens.

Martinez prevented Diogo Dalot from immediately equalising, and Cunha then passed up a golden chance as he headed wide from Dorgu’s cross, as United failed to fight back again.

Rampant Rogers propelling Villa in the title race

Not since Dion Dublin in 1998 have Villa had a player score at least twice in back-to-back Premier League matches, but Rogers is at the very top of his game right now.

Both goals were brilliant in their own right, albeit it was his opener that will no doubt draw most of the attention.

Having latched onto a punt by McGinn, Rogers cut back in on his right foot after keeping the ball in play and was allowed to advance infield.

He had done similar not long before, only to fire a weak effort at Lammens. This time, though, he picked out the top-right corner in unstoppable fashion.

Rogers’ second goal came as he nipped in ahead of Yoro, reacting quicker than the young defender.

There was still plenty of work for him to do, with the England international having to adjust his feet to prod goalwards, yet he somehow still generated the power and swerve to beat United’s goalkeeper.

Villa, who have beaten Man Utd at home in the top-flight for just the second time in 27 attempts, have now won their last 10 games in all competitions – their best such run since 1914 – and with Rogers in this kind of form, they should hold no fear ahead of festive trips to Chelsea and Arsenal.

Fernandes injury adds to Amorim’s absences

With Bryan Mbeumo and Amad away at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Ruben Amorim opted for Mason Mount and Sesko to join Cunha in his frontline.

Despite those alterations, United made a positive start, with Cunha proving difficult to deal with and Sesko looking sharp as he stretched Villa’s defence – Martinez had to be alert to deny him a goal, and Fernandes also saw a goalbound strike blocked.

That effort came just before Rogers’ exquisite opener, and just after Fernandes had pulled up with what appeared to be, at the very least, a tight hamstring.

United’s captain played on, and Cunha’s smartly taken equaliser was the least they deserved, but Fernandes was unable to continue into the second half.

The visitors still had their moments. Mount fizzed in a low cross that Sesko just failed to convert, and Cunha should have done better from that Dorgu centre, but they lacked the world-class cutting edge demonstrated by Rogers down the other end.

Man Utd are in action in the lone Premier League fixture on Boxing Day as they host Newcastle United, and Amorim will be holding out hope that Fernandes was taken off quickly enough to prevent any serious damage.

What the managers said

Unai Emery: "I'm very happy. Our supporters should be proud of everything we are doing together because the energy is very important. How they transmit the energy, how they are helping us here to feel Villa Park is out fortress.

"Sometimes we can't dominate, sometimes we must defend. We must be resilient which we need today well. But being resilient, taking our time, with our qualities, overall we must be proud of everything we are doing."

Ruben Amorim: "I think we were the better team today. We were unlucky, even with the injury of Bruno [Fernandes], but during the game even without him we were the better team.

"We blocked the transitions quite well and they did really well. We did a very good job that no one is going to remember tomorrow because what matters is the result.

"I think it's soft tissue [Fernandes injury] so it's going to be a while. We'll see." (premierleague.com)

Update news