Highlights, Statistics, & Post-Match Quotes | Manchester United 4-0 Aston Villa

MUFC PLAYER STATISTICS

* David de Gea (goalkeeper): 9/18 passing (50%), 0 goals conceded, 2 saves

* Jonny Evans (right-center-back): 59/67 passing (88%), 1 key pass, 9/11 long balls, 1 tackle, 1 interception, 6 cleaances, 0 shots blocked, 1 foul, 1 assist

* Rio Ferdinand (left-center-back): 44/48 passing (92%), 1 key pass, 8/12 long balls, 0 tackles, 1 interceptions, 8 clearances, 1 shot blocked, 0 fouls

* Rafael (right-back): 48/56 passing (86%), 3 key passes, 0/4 crosses, 0/2 long balls, 8 tackles, 1 interceptions, 6 clearances, 0 shots blocked, 1 foul

* Patrice Evra (left-back): 36/39 passing (92%), 2 key passes, 2/3 crosses, 0/1 long balls, 1 tackle, 1 interception, 3 clearnances, 0 shots blocked, 1 foul, 1 assist

* Michael Carrick (central-midfield): 65/74 passing (88%), 3 key passes, 0/0 crosses, 9/10 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 3 successful dribbles, 3 tackles, 3 interceptions, 0 shots

* Paul Scholes (central-midfield | substituted off 78'): 63/67 passing (94%), 0 key passes, 0/0 crosses, 12/13 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 0 successful dribbles, 6 tackles, 0 interceptions, 4 shots (1 on target)

* Antonio Valencia (right-winger): 38/45 passing (84%), 6 key passes, 5/9 crosses, 0/1 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 4 successful dribbles, 0 fouls won, 2 tackles, 0 interceptions, 4 shots (1 on target), 1 assist

* Ashley Young (left-winger | substituted off 61'): 24/30 passing (80%), 2 key passes, 2/5 crosses, 2/3 long balls, 1/1 through balls, 1 successful dribble, 4 fouls won, 2 tackles, 0 interceptions, 0 shots

* Wayne Rooney (withdrawn striker | substituted off 75'): 25/34 passing (74%), 1 key pass, 2/2 crosses, 1/2 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 1 successful dribble, 0 fouls won, 7 shots (3 on target), 2 goals (1 penalty)

* Danny Welbeck (striker): 29/33 passing (88%), 1 key pass, 0/0 crosses, 0/1 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 1 successful dribble, 0 fouls won, 7 shots (3 on target), 1 goal

* Nani (left-winger | substituted on 61'): 10/12 passing (83%), 3 key passes, 1/4 crosses, 0/0 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 0 successful dribbles, 0 fouls won, 0 tackles, 0 interceptions, 3 shots (1 on target), 1 goal

* Dimitar Berbatov (striker | substituted on 75'): 13/13 passing (100%), 0 key passes, 0/1 crosses, 0/0 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 0 successful dribbles, 0 fouls won, 1 shot (0 on target)

* Tom Cleverley (central-midfield | substituted on 78'): 11/11 passing (100%), 0 key passes, 0/0 crosses, 1/1 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 1 successful dribble, 1 tackle, 0 interceptions, 1 shot (0 on target)

POST-MATCH QUOTES

Sir Alex Ferguson | MUFC manager (courtesy of MUTV)

(Overall thoughts on the performance...) "It was a good result. We were careless at times but, at the end of the day, there was some terrific football and some good goals. I'm very satisfied. There could be twists and turns yet. I think the name of the game now is for us to enjoy ourselves and play with expression, like we did today. Hopefully we'll be alright. You can never be too confident in this game of football. My experience tells me there's always something can bite you on the bum but hopefully we can avoid that and not drop any more points. It's one game less today and that's what I'll take out of the game. We've won our game with a good performance, which is important at this time of year. The players accepted the fact they lost a game on Wednesday and did something about it. No panic. We played our own game and I'm pleased about that."

(On the Young controversy and whether the winger made the most of his situation...) "I think in that situation, in the last week or two, yeah. I have never seen that in him. It is not an habitual thing with him. He was brought down. He just made the most of it. I think he played for the penalty. If the player decides to put his foot in and doesn't stay on his feet and read the situation, he has fallen into the situation. But he's definitely taken him. It was a dramatic fall. He overdid the fall but it's a penalty, there's no doubt about that and I don't think they can have any complaint because he has taken him.."

(On Welbeck's goal...) "I don't know exactly what happened [for Danny Welbeck's goal] but the ball seemed to carry along the penalty box and Danny has come sliding in at the far post. To get a goal like that put us in a good position. 2-0 up at Old Trafford, we shouldn't lose a game."

(On the 2nd half...) "We got careless for a period in the second half but the third goal just killed the game and we were able to see it out quite comfortably."

(On Rooney's underwhelming performance, despite his 2 goals...) "He was careless. I think Wayne is the type of player who has to play on the edge in a game really. When it's a really close and competitive game. When it gets to that casual bit, he's worse than the rest of them. He gets so casual about it. He's better when he's right on the edge because he's a marvellous player when he's right on the edge."

(On Scholes and his shooting...) "I know, I'd have loved one to go in. It would've taken the roof off the place. It was a great performance from Paul. He dictates the rhythm of the game and is just a fantastic player."

(On Nani and his recent return from injury...) "It's absolutely brilliant to get him back. He can play either side or through the middle and is such a valuable player to have. He's been out a few weeks but he's back fit and fresh. He's a good addition to our squad now."

(On the title race...) "You can never be too confident in this game. My experience tells me that there is always something that is going to bite you on the bum. Hopefully we can avoid that."

Danny Welbeck | MUFC striker

(On the result and on his goal...) "I definitely want to get amongst the goals and it’s been a few games since I got my last one. But the main thing is getting three points in every game I play in. That gets us closer to the title. I would like to score more goals, though. It was a good result for the team and we’re looking forward to getting the next three points now, because those are going to be important."

(On the title race...) "We know every game’s going to be tight, but come kick-off we just want to get the three points. Getting three points is a necessity for us. [Winning the title] would mean so much to me. Words don’t describe it. I’m really, really hungry for this title and I’d do anything to get it."

Wayne Rooney | MUFC striker

(On being 1 goal away from equaling George Best & Dennis Violett at 178 on United's all-time scoring list) "It would be great to equal the record and hopefully surpass them.It would be a great achievement that I would be proud of but I can’t really look at that at the minute. If it happens then great, hopefully it will before the end of the season, but I’m just concentrating on my game.

(On his performance and on his brace...) "It was nice to score two goals but I didn’t think my performance was good enough, I was disappointed with that but obviously I’m happy with the goals. It’s the points that are important at this time of the year and if I can score the goals that get those points then I’ll be pleased."

(Overall thoughts on the match...) "Obviously we were disappointed with our performance against Wigan but we had a chance to get that out of our system and keep that distance between us and Manchester City. It was a big game for us and we deserved to win, credit must go to the team. We created a few chances and they made quite a few blocks and saves, but it was a good result for us and we got the three points, which is the most important thing. It’s always nice to score a penalty and it settled us down a little bit. The goal just before half time was a great boost for us and a blow for them .There was only going to be one winner after that, thankfully we got two more goals."

(On the title race...) "A month or six weeks ago, if somebody told me that we’d be five points clear at this stage of the season then we would have been delighted. Next week against Everton is a massive game for us, we need to get three points there to make it an interesting night against Man City."

Rio Ferdinand | MUFC defender (courtesy of Sky Sports)

(On Manchester City closing the gap recently to 5 points...) "We don’t really take that into consideration, if I’m honest. We put pressure on ourselves to win games. The pressure comes from within and from the fans. They demand that and so does the boss. We have to go out there and produce our own result first - outside pressure doesn’t come into it. Our goal is the same as before when the gap was at eight points - we want to win every game until the end of the season. That has not changed and it won’t change until the last day of the season. We want to win every game."

(On bouncing back from Wednesday's defeat...) "I think Wednesday was a blip. Fair play to Wigan because they played well and we didn’t really turn up. We had to put in a good performance at home, the onus was us to win the game and we went out there and did it. It’s always nice to get an early goal because it settles you down and you become more fluid. We played some really good stuff and some good one-touch attacking football. When we’re in full flow like that, it’s great to be behind watching it all unfold. We know we need to score goals and if we’re on top, we have to punish teams. We probably haven’t done it as much this season, but today we got a good amount."

(On the possibility of winning the title at the Etihad...) "I’ll be honest, I couldn’t care less where we win it as long as we get the trophy. Our fans would love it but as long as you can get your hands on the trophy, you’ll take it in your back garden."

Alex McLeish | Aston Villa manager

(On the Young decision...) "We had a young player got booked for diving at Liverpool last week when it should have been a penalty. It looks as if he is a diver because they have said he was simulating. It is hard to say to the ref that he totally got it wrong because it is a split-second. But I didn't think it was a penalty. Ashley threw his leg into Ciaran Clark's leg and Ciaran was static. He planted his feet firmly on the ground. He then tries to pull his leg away."Some other people may disagree but I felt it was a very soft decision."