da gbg bet： The forward's strong season continued on Sunday afternoon, but her ex-Lionesses team-mate was less impressive

da realbet： Nikita Parris scored a brace as Manchester United secured a much-needed 2-1 victory over Aston Villa in the Women's Super League on Sunday afternoon.

The forward, who was not selected for the Lionesses' World Cup squad last summer, returned to the side and scored a lovely glancing header in the seventh minute and then was in the right place at the right time to power in a second just after the half-hour mark.

Rachel Daly pulled a goal back with a second-half penalty in the 60th minute as the Villans improved a great deal but United held on to ease the pressure on manager Marc Skinner – who many fans have called to be sacked in recent weeks. The result means United are fourth in the WSL whereas Villa are down in eighth.

GOAL rates United's players from Leigh Sports Village…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Mary Earps (7/10):

Didn't have to make a save until the 54th minute and even that was a comfortable effort to deal with. Was beaten for power from Daly's spot kick but made a good diving stop to keep out Hanson's fizzing effort late on.

Jayde Riviere (8/10):

Kept Alisha Lehmann quiet down the left wing and showed good pace to avert any danger that came her way. Hanson provided her with more of a challenge but she held her own then, too.

Maya Le Tissier (6/10):

Made her 50th appearance for the club and completed some timely tackles when needed. Not always composed on the ball.

Millie Turner (6/10):

Made some good clearances at the back but Villa put her and United's defence under a lot of pressure in the second half and they didn't look that secure.

Hannah Blundell (8/10):

Started like a house on fire as she made sure nothing got past her in defence and in attack she was a real handful and got a lovely assist for Parris' opener. A very impressive display.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Lisa Naalsund (7/10):

Did her defensive duties fairly well and was the midfielder who, arguably, would have come away from this game with the most credit.

Katie Zelem (6/10):

Like her team, had a solid first half but her impact on the game declined as she was pushed further and further back.

Ella Toone (6/10):

The midfielder put in a solid display on her 150th match for the Red Devils but she missed a couple of good chances and her influence waned as the contest wore on.

Getty ImagesAttack

Geyse (6/10):

Was the least effective of the front three for much of the contest but her pace and elusiveness still gave Villa some problems.

Nikita Parris (9/10):

More than justified her recall in a player of the match performance. She showed classy finishing, excellent movement, and a whole heap of tricks and flicks. Her brace means she is likely to have a starting role for a while yet.

Lucia Garcia (7/10):

Was a constant threat down the left wing and was involved in both goals, the second of which involved her curling a sumptuous effort onto the bar, before Parris made it 2-0. However, she gave away a soft penalty just before the hour mark for a foul on Daly, which the Villa striker converted.

Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Rachel Williams (7/10):

Came on to add a bit of experience and know how and wasn't far away from scoring a header in the game's dying embers.

Leah Galton (7/10):

Used her street smarts to keep onto the ball and help run the clock down.

Melvine Malard (7/10):

Made some good driving runs when she entered the fray.

Irene Guerrero (N/A):

Didn't have much time to make an impact.

Marc Skinner (8/10):

Recalled Parris to the starting lineup and that move proved to be a masterstroke. Plus, his substitutes helped somewhat take the sting out of Villa's attack in the final quarter of the match.