Villa beat leaders Manchester United in an impressive Villa Park performance to close the gap to the top of the table to five points with a game in hand as their 1975 form transforms their promotion challenge.

Ron Saunders' Villa make it six unbeaten games in League football in 1975 to record fifteen wins, seven draws and eight defeats in his first thirty League games as Villa boss. 

Meanwhile, full back Keith Masefield made his debut as a substitute aged 17 having joined from Warwickshire & District Schools on 1 October 1974.

Villa once again come away with just a point - and remain winless on the road this season with one away game left to play - despite controlling the game, dominating the play and the chances. Missing a second half penalty just before a Chris Nicholl equaliser offered Villa’s best chance yet to break their duck but it was all to no avail. 

Ron Saunders' Villa make it nine wins, sixteen draws and fourteen defeats in thirty nine League games following their return to the top flight.

Villa play their eighth game in 23 days as a second string side, with even some third string in there are beaten by Arsenal to remain fifth in the table, seven points behind leaders Liverpool but now with only two games in hand. 

Ron Saunders' Villa lose for the first time in five as to quote a contemporary match report "This was the night the season caught up the Aston Villa. With a third of their first team squad injured and with four tired or untested teenagers in their places ...". 

Villa make it nineteen wins, five draws and ten defeats in thirty four division one games this season. As a result Villa now have four games in hand over Ipswich Town who did not play and are now down to six points ahead but both Manchester City and Liverpool remain in strong positions in the four way fight for the title. 

Meanwhile midfielder David Hughes made his fifth and final appearance for Villa aged 19 before moving on to Lincoln City in April 1978.

Villa have the luxury of four days off between fixtures but still play their ninth game in 28 days as they fall to two late goals at White Hart Lane to remain fifth in the table.

With Ipswich also losing, Villa still have four games in hand and are six points behind with title rivals Manchester City up next. 

It's Villa's second successive loss, both defeats coming in North London, as they make it 🟩 nineteen wins, 🟨 five draws and 🟥 eleven defeats in 🕒 thirty five division one games this season under Ron Saunders 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿,

Winger Ray Graydon 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 29 makes his final appearance in a Villa shirt before moving on to Coventry City in July 1977. Graydon - a hero of Villa's climb back through the leagues - played for Villa between 1971-72 and 1976-77 making 231 appearances and scoring 81 goals. 

Full back Keith Masefield 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 makes his final Villa appearance.

Midfielder Dennis Mortimer 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 contributes his 🔥 15th assist and ⚽ 🔥 20th goal involvement on his  🕒 62nd appearance in a Villa shirt at a goal involvement rate of one every 3.10 games.