A new era began at Old Trafford after Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s company, INEOS, announced it had bought a 25 per cent stake in Manchester United in exchange for sporting control.
Sir Dave Brailsford, INEOS’ sporting director, watched on tonight as Erik ten Hag’s side clawed back a two-goal deficit to beat Aston Villa 3-2, with Rasmus Hojlund scoring his first Premier League goal for the winner. Unai Emery’s side failed to take all three points after scoring the opening goal of a game for the first time this season yet are still third in the table at the halfway stage.
John McGinn put Villa ahead in the 21st minute with a beautifully worked free kick that evaded everyone in the box, and Leander Dendoncker added a second with a deft finish less than five minutes later — prompting a chorus of boos around Old Trafford.
Alejandro Garnacho saw a goal ruled out for offside just after half-time but ended his side’s goal drought just before the hour-mark and equalised in the 71st minute. Then Hojlund stepped up with eight minutes of normal time left to cap a remarkable turnaround.
The Athletic’s Carl Anka, Jacob Tanswell and Thom Harris dissect the action…
Relief for Hojlund — and United
Hojlund had gone more than 1,000 minutes without a Premier League goal. He is a youngster struggling at a time when United’s attacking veterans are either absent or in bad form; a £64million ($81.4m; €73.8m at the current exchange rate) signing with a price tag getting heavier by the game.
A chance in the 62nd minute saw Garnacho released down the right but the Dane did not commit — apparently unsure which post to run to, or whether he might be of more value holding his run and waiting for space to open up near the penalty spot. Garnacho’s shot eventually went wide.
Then it happened. Garnacho’s brilliant brace. And a sense of belief.
A quickly-taken corner. A deflection off McGinn and the ball fell into the path of Hojlund. A quick left-footed swipe saw the ball go in off the post.
It was Hojlund’s first Premier League goal, after playing in it for 1,037 minutes. Old Trafford erupted in joy and the 20-year-old’s relief was obvious.
When Hojlund was substituted off in the 89th minute, he was applauded. He needed that goal. The fanbase did too. Ten Hag most definitely as well.
This is still a team with multiple teething problems up front. But three goals and a valuable three points will give them some breathing room.
Carl Anka
Two set-piece goals. Why are Villa so strong in this area?
In some ways, Villa’s second goal underlined their cohesion and buy-in on their manager’s methods. Turned in by Dendoncker after Ezri Konsa initially acted as the blocker, preventing Kobbie Mainoo from tracking Clement Lenglet, who then managed to find himself free at the back post to head towards Dendoncker.
Emery celebrated with set-piece coach Austin MacPhee, the man responsible for the success behind Villa’s set-play threat. Led by MacPhee, their coaching staff regard dead-ball situations as an opportunity to invent and design a list of choreographed routines before every game.
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The variety is extensive and requires players to remember each routine down to its granular details. Four months into Emery’s tenure last season, 26 per cent of Villa’s goals had come through set pieces and has continued to prove a reliable source of goals, with both at Old Trafford coming through set plays.
Villa are not the biggest or most intimidating aerially but rely on set-piece triggers from the taker and rotations to find space and those marginal gains — with goals here and at Tottenham Hotspur last month — are crucial, especially away from home, when the team lacks control within games.
They have now scored seven goals from set pieces this season and the constant variation underpins the success, even if Emery’s side could not hold on for the three points this time.
Jacob Tanswell
Why did United struggle so much with Villa’s offside trap?
Shortly before the half-time whistle, the notification came through: United had gone more than seven hours without scoring.
Their struggles in front of goal had become the latest problem in a season full of them. Following the defeat by West Ham on Saturday, Ten Hag repeatedly talked of “the meaning of the first goal” and how, for all of the supposed good football United play (in his eyes), his team need to get more attacking players in the box to get that valuable goal.
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Against Villa, United failed in their search for the first goal, and only really began to play once Dendoncker put them 2-0 down.
Perhaps it was a case of personal pride kicking in once collective responsibility had failed. Perhaps it was Bruno Fernandes and others realising how much attacking space Villa leave in behind. But all of a sudden, Ten Hag’s men went for it, repeatedly making runs beyond their back line and trying to counter-punch their way out of a two-goal hole.
The only issue is… Emery’s footballing machine is one of the best in Europe at using the offside trap.
United thought they smelt presentable opportunities to counter Villa and score. They repeatedly ran into a trap, with the offside flag being shown six times in the first half – the most in any Premier League game in a single half this season.
A “goal” early in the second half for Garnacho was a good example of the issue: United playing with precision and pace but getting the final space a smidge wrong.
Carl Anka
How did Villa’s fringe players step up?
Dendoncker with the goal and Lenglet with the assist; not too many will have been banking on that combination making it 2-0 to Villa at Old Trafford.
However unusual, their link-up was a symbolic one for Emery’s side — with just one Premier League start between them this season, his supporting cast did not look too out of place.
In for the injured Pau Torres, whose left-footed distribution out of defence has been so transformative for Villa’s build-up this season, Lenglet was one of the standout performers for the visitors, striding into midfield with authority and picking out a variety of line-breaking passes throughout. Spearing the ball across to Konsa, or finding those clipped passes into Jacob Ramsey lurking in the left half-space, the Barcelona loanee’s performance was an encouraging nod to Villa’s squad building and a team with ample cover throughout.
Dendoncker was excellent too, winning five of his six ground duels and misplacing just three passes throughout a frantic 90 minutes. He, like most of Emery’s squad, was noticeably assured of his role in the team, slotting into a 4-4-2 shape off the ball, and dropping to receive from the centre-backs.
Although in vain, these were two performances that pointed to a well-oiled machine, and a team who can rely on their full squad to help recover from this dramatic, exhausting defeat.
Thom Harris
Who said what afterwards?
Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery told Amazon Prime Video, who broadcast the match live in the UK: “Sixty minutes… fantastic. Manchester United, when they scored the first goal, the atmosphere pushed them and they have very good players. Really disappointed, but we move on. The players were fantastic in the first half of the season, 39 points, but I want more. We want more.”
Garnacho told Amazon: “We are Manchester United. We are 2-0 and we never give up — so a great comeback from the team. Too many people talk about the strikers in Manchester United and say we never score goals. But today you see (Marcus) Rashford with the assist, Rasmus with the goal, so we’re happy — one of the best days of my life.”
What next for United?
Saturday, December 30: Nottingham Forest (A), Premier League, 5.30pm GMT, 12.30pm ET
Memories of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s four-goal haul as a substitute at the City Ground in 1999 will still be strong for many fans, with that 8-1 victory one of the 11 successive wins United have racked up against Forest.
What next for Villa?
Saturday, December 30: Burnley (H), Premier League, 3pm GMT, 10am ET
Burnley have shown some signs of improvement but remain one of the relegation favourites. Villa won the reverse fixture 3-1 at Turf Moor in August.
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(Top photo: Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
