After giving up two goals in less than 26 minutes at Old Trafford, Manchester United mounted an incredible comeback in the second half to defeat Aston Villa 3-2 in the Premier League on Tuesday.
Erik ten Hag’s club had a terrible start and was jeered by its own supporters in the first half of the first game following the announcement that British millionaire Jim Ratcliffe would purchase up to 25% of the 20-time league champions.
But Rasmus Hojlund’s victory and two goals from Alejandro Garnacho transformed the mood entirely.
“Our fans, in my opinion, earned it. They never leave us, even when we’ve had numerous failures. Therefore, I’m incredibly happy with this team’s performance,” United boss Ten Hag stated. “What kind of team is capable of managing and overcoming the volume of obstacles we have faced?
“They have demonstrated their character and personality to turn things around, and they are resilient.”
United advanced to the sixth position.
Villa took the lead in the 21st and 26th minutes through John McGinn and Leander Dendoncker, in front of Dave Brailsford, who will join United as a director and is anticipated to be heavily involved in the management of the team’s football division.
As Dendoncker doubled Villa’s lead, the away fans sang “Old Trafford is falling down” and agitated Ten Hag with chants of “You’re getting sacked (fired) in the morning.” Brailsford, the sporting director of Ratcliffe’s INEOS Sport, was seated in the directors’ seats at the stadium and would have heard loud jeers after that.
United had lost three of its previous four games across all competitions and entered this one without a win or a goal. With a 2-0 deficit at the break, the atmosphere was poisonous and United’s defense was dismal.
McGinn’s goal was directly caused by a right-wing free kick; the midfielder’s cross was allowed to bounce in the area and find its way into the net without being touched.
After more sloppy United defence, five minutes later Dendoncker put out a foot to deflect Clement Lenglet’s header over the line from a corner, giving Villa a two-goal lead.
Although it appeared that third-place Villa would tie leader Liverpool for second place and gain a point, the game took a dramatic turn after the half.
Just after the break, Garnacho thought he had tied the score, but VAR called his effort offside, ending his celebration.
But as United applied more pressure, he didn’t have to wait long to put the ball in the net once more.
In the 59th minute, Bruno Fernandes found Marcus Rashford on the left, and Rashford crossed to the streaking Garnacho to score at the far post.
Old Trafford roared when Garnacho scored his second goal in the 71st minute. Once more, Fernandes was involved as a deflected cross found Garnacho in the box. Then, the forward’s attempt received another deflection and went past Emiliano Martinez, the custodian for Villa.
With a left-footed volley from a corner in the 82nd minute, Hojlund completed the comeback and scored his first league goal since joining from Atalanta in the offseason for $82 million.
The home crowd sent up a wild cheer, and Ten Hag joined in on the sidelines.
Ten Hag exclaimed, “I am so happy that the strikers scored today because that is what we needed.” “I am confident that Rasmus, Rashford, and Garnacho are capable of that. We have more than that, and they are all excellent finishers. Every game, they have to display it.