Aston Villa boss settles for point against Man Utd

United played most of the game with ten-men after Nani was sent off just 29 minutes into the game.

“The game was balanced at that time at one each, I thought that there was an opportunity of course,” he told Sky Sports.

“You always think that if you’ve got an extra man for that length of time that you can be able to make the best use of it.

“But Manchester United are not Manchester United for nothing.

“They’re a quality side, they’ve had problems before and they’ve been able to see them through.

“I thought they demonstrated at times how brilliant they can be in terms of possession of the ball. They’ve got very, very good players playing for them.

“But I think we’re improving. Tonight I thought that we probably just didn’t do enough to warrant a win.

“We didn’t create enough perhaps in the second half of the game and we may have got a little bit tentative.

“I don’t really know the reason why but we’ve got some really fine players playing at the football club and I’ve been delighted with them for quite some considerable time.”

“I also think that in terms of effort you cannot give any more. All managers stick to those sorts of things but it’s absolutely true with this bunch,” he added.

“Perhaps on reflection with half an hour gone and us still pretty strong at that time it might have been that opportunity.

“But if you’d have said to me after we lost our opening game of the season that we would fight back and still be involved in the three competitions and take four points off Manchester United I would have joined you in a drink.”