“We are evenly matched,” observed Unai Emery of his Villarreal side and Manchester United before Tuesday's high-stakes Champions League meeting in Spain. No argument with that on the basis of the taut Group F table, of the long history of stalemates between these two clubs and an established pattern that if the deadlock does break, it is always very late in the day.
But for a Cristiano Ronaldo goal, five minutes into stoppage time at Old Trafford back in late September, there would be daylight at the top of a group where all the finishing places remain up for grabs going into the penultimate matchday. Thanks to another of the comebacks that peppered Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's time as United manager, three points were seized from Emery’s team after United had trailed early in the second half.
But should United, under the caretaker watch of Micheal Carrick following Solskjaer’s dismissal, lose this game the uneven aspects of any comparison between Villarreal and the club that likes to think of itself as the biggest in English’s football will come under sharp focus, United cast once again as a tottering Goliath.
The town Villarreal call home has less than 50,000 citizens; United have a stadium that could accommodate all of them and still offer seats to another 26,000. Villarreal spent €40 million ($45m) last summer on strengthening a squad that had just achieved the greatest triumph of the club’s history; United spent more than four times that, having been the losing bystanders at Villarreal’s historic triumph — in a Europa League final that stretched into a marathon penalty shoot-out and left Solskjaer’s men with the silver medals.
Contests between the plucky provincials from just inland of Spain’s Costa del Azahar and the United juggernaut have always been tight. Ronaldo will remember the frustration of his first visit to the compact Estadio de la Ceramica in 2005. United's forward line saw a 20-year-old Ronaldo, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney draw a blank in the 0-0 draw — when the England striker was shown a red card for sarcastically clapping the referee who had just booked him.
When the clubs shared another goalless draw later in that group phase, United stared into the abyss: They finished bottom of the group that season, a rarity during the era when Alex Ferguson was manager.
Four seasons later, in 2008-09, there would be two more goalless group-stage draws. Ronaldo was by then the owner of his first Ballon d’Or and on his way to a second successive Champions League final with United.
United 2 Villarreal 1: player ratings
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MANCHESTER UNITED RATINGS: David De Gea 9 - Saved from Danjuma after six minutes. And again from the same player on 15. And another on 16. And again. You get the picture. There was no way United would have been in the game without him. EPA -
Diogo Dalot 4 - Right back who had a very, very tough job marking Danjuma. Poor control in the second half. Zero surprise when beaten by Danjumu in the build up to Villarreal’s goal. EPA -
Raphael Varane 6 - Blocked an 8th minute attack and made a key interception against a team he’d played against many time on 15 to stop yet another Spanish attack. Missed a challenge which led Alcacer to get a fine chance after 31 and nowhere for Villarreal’s goal. Reuters -
Victor Lindelof 6 - Best moment was when he charged back to make a 2 v 1 Villarreal attack and cut the play out. Average. AP -
Alex Telles 6 - Villarreal stretched him and his night was summed up when he fell over trying to cross the ball after 47. Then he hit the sweetest volley from a Bruno free-kick to equalise after 60. He was rightly delighted. Booked for a silly tackle on 71, but made a late block. AP -
Scott McTominay 5 - Won the ball and set up United’s first attack. Out passed in the middle in the first half, less so in the second. Good block on 88 as Villarreal attacked yet again. Volleyed on target at the other end on 90. EPA -
Paul Pogba 6 - Played alongside McTominay in a two which didn’t convince. Headed a corner away as Villarreal created chance after chance. Took a dip at goal from 37 minutes – United’s first shot. Looked surprised when he was brought off. EPA -
Bruno Fernandes 7 - Shot over after 3 and made a superb pass after 33 after United were being outclassed. Came alive but baffled, angry and wound up by what was happening around him. Shot wide after 56, cleverly crossed for Telles goal. Kept crossing and set up Lingard. EPA -
Jadon Sancho 6 - Needed to deliver after a flat start to his United career. Busy night for him as Villarreal were strong on the right and he had to bring down Moreno. But better movement going forward and his best game so far in a United shirt. EPA -
Mason Greenwood 6 - Did well to get a shot off after 71. Booked. Beautiful cross to Cavani on 78. EPA -
Cristiano Ronaldo 7 - Headed well over after 7. Good movement but limited influence in the game as Villarreal kept him quiet. And then he did what he’s paid to do with a vital winner at the Stretford End amid dramatic scenes at Old Trafford. Reuters -
SUBS: Edinson Cavani 7 - On for Pogba after 74 to a huge cheer for only his third appearance of the season. Headed wide after 78 after thinking the defender was going to reach the ball. Bad miss. Battled to hang onto the ball and keep alive United’s last gasp attack. Getty -
Nemanja Matic 7 - On for Sancho after 74 in the rain. Tried to calm his players who were rushing for a winner in front of the Stretford End. Whacked by a tackle for Pena, who was booked. Getty -
Fred N/A - On for compatriot Telles on 88. Good play for the goal. Getty -
Jesse Lingard N/A - On for Greenwood on 88. Flicked a cross on target, drawing a save from Rulli on 90 and then played a crucial part in setting up Ronaldo. EPA -
VILLARREAL RATINGS: Geronimo Rulli, 5 - It was a mixed day at the office for Rulli after some poor distribution was combined with a few solid saves and questionable keeping for both United goals. Getty -
Juan Foyth, 8 - Controlled Sancho with ease throughout the game and was efficient in just about every challenge he made at Old Trafford. Getty -
Raul Albiol, 5 - The veteran was as composed as ever with physical defending combined with good positional work right up until injury time. AP -
Pau Torres, 5 - Got caught out of position for United’s winner which was a shame after a really controlled outing from the 24-year-old. EPA -
Alberto Moreno, 6 - Floated between great clearances and below par concentration in an average yet uneven showing from the former Liverpool man. Getty -
MF Dani Parejo, 7 - Fell back into a consistent defensive midfield role that he was pretty composed in from the first whistle until the very last. Getty -
Etienne Capoue, 6 - Strung everything together brilliantly in the first half but fell away in the second with a more restricted display. Getty -
Manu Trigueros, 7 - Trigueros showed some really nice movement and grew into proceedings, eventually leading to him playing a key role in the opener. AP -
Yeremi Pino, 6 - His tricky style was effective for a while but eventually he ran out of steam and constantly failed to track back. Getty -
Paco Alcacer, 7 - Only needed one major chance to hit the back of the net and played an integral role in the build-up - but aside from that, he was fairly quiet. Getty -
Arnaut Danjuma, 8 - Despite going through quiet spells the Dutchman was a constant thorn in United’s side and even managed to provide the assist for the visitors’ only goal. Reuters -
SUBS: Boulaye Dia, 4 - Carried the ball forward well but couldn’t finish to save his life and had a really poor touch whenever he came into possession. Getty -
Pervis Estupinan, 5 - His strong aerial work was cancelled out by a lapse in concentration for Ronaldo’s winner. Getty -
Aissa Mandi, N/A - Mandi simply wasn’t alert enough for Ronaldo’s goal and also looked unbelievably clumsy in most passages of play. Getty -
DF Ruben Pena, N/A - Was indecisive on the ball and picked up a needless yellow with a careless challenge in the final few minutes. Getty -
Moi Gomez, N/A - The substitute was at the heart of many great Villarreal movements which included him forcing a great double save out of de Gea. Getty
Carrick was in that side, too, and would be forgiven for feeling his debut as a manager could have come to him in gentler circumstances than an away game in which a slip-up could plunge United from top of the group — where they are matching Villarreal’s seven points and in front by virtue of their comeback during the 2-1 win in Manchester — to third place. Atalanta, on five points, would move into one of the qualifying positions if they beat Young Boys and there is a winner in Spain.
“It’s a big game for both teams but one we can look forward to,” said Carrick, speaking barely 24 hours after learning Solskjaer had been sacked and he was to be promoted temporarily to take over. “For me it’s a new challenge, and one I’m looking forward to.
“It’s a limited time, but it’s about me preparing as best we can. Villarreal are organised, well coached, with technical players, speed and penetration. We’ll be going in with a plan to come out on top.”
Emery, who earlier this month turned down an offer to leave Villarreal for Newcastle United, took the opportunity to praise the departed Solskjaer, with whom he shared a touchline through a long night in Gdansk last May as the Europa League final locked at 1-1 through extra time and 21 penalties were then converted in the shoot-out before Geronimo Rulli kept out David de Gea’s spot-kick.
“I have come up against him [Solskjaer] many times,” said Emery, “and I have to say he’s a great person. When there’s a change of manager there’s always a reaction because the focus is on the players. United are always extra motivated in the Champions League. We have to be ready for Ronaldo, for Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, de Gea. It’s who’s on the field that matters.”
