In leading Manchester United to 13 Premier League titles, Sir Alex Ferguson often underlined the importance of 1-0 wins.
It turns out that wins by such a slender margin are just as significant when it comes to securing a top-four place and Champions League football.
United may have last won the title a decade ago and remain some way from challenging for it again, but in terms of where they are now, this was a huge win in their quest for a top-four spot. It came courtesy of a first-half goal from skipper Bruno Fernandes, but there were heroic performances from so many in the famous red shirt, not least Casemiro and Victor Lindelof.
Casemiro delivered a remorseless man-of-the-match display, controlling the midfield, dropping back to defend and taking a ball full in the face near the end, as United put their bodies on the line for the win.
While Lindelof, exemplary since coming into the side in the absence of injured central defensive duo Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane, made a series of vital blocks and clearances late on.
United may have blown a 2-0 lead at Tottenham four days earlier to draw 2-2 and halt their top-four push, but they were in no mood to suffer a repeat of that experience against in-form Aston Villa.
Unai Emery's side arrived at Old Trafford on the back of eight wins and two draws in their previous 10 games and made their hosts work until the 94th minute for their hard-earned victory.
It was the hosts who came out of the blocks quickest, putting Emery's side under relentless pressure early on, particularly with balls in behind Villa's defence.
Villa's propensity to play a high defensive line played straight into United's hands, with Ten Hag's side only too happy to take up the invitation to go over the top.
United's first opening came after seven minutes, Casemiro winning the ball off Jaco Ramsey and finding Marcel Sabitzer, who put Marcus Rashford through on goal. Rashford found himself one-on-one with Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez and somehow managed to miss the target, the United striker no doubt relieved to see the flag raised for offside.
Five minutes later, Rashford again found himself with only Martinez to beat, after being put through by Bruno Fernandes, but his angled effort was diverted by the Villa keeper.
Sabitzer blazed the ball over the bar moments later, as Ten Hag's side maintained their early dominance, which they were unable to turn into the hard currency of a goal.
Villa had to wait until the 19th minute for their first chance, full-back Alex Moreno thudding a shot straight at David De Gea after a clever move opened up United's defence.
Casemiro, who produced a stellar box-to-box display, hit the bar with a curling effort in the 27th minute, as United continued to push for the opener.
It duly came in the 39th minute, Casemiro's header finding its way to Rashford, who surged forwards before shooting, his effort palmed away by Martinez.
Fernandes was quickest to react and turned the ball into the net from a tight angle, the goal surviving the obligatory VAR check for a potential offside against Rashford.
United controlled the second-half, just as they did the first, but Villa rallied late on, forcing United to dig deep defensively to see out the win.
Lindelof charged down a goalbound shot, then produced a vital headed clearance off the line to secure the win, which has all but secured United's return to the Champions League
