Securing a remarkable victory on Boxing Day, Manchester United staged a comeback from a two-goal deficit, with Rasmus Hojlund netting his inaugural Premier League goal in an exhilarating clash against Aston Villa at Old Trafford.
In the inaugural match following Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s acquisition of a 25% stake in the club, and with the future director and current Ineos head of sport, Sir Dave Brailsford, present in the directors’ box, Erik ten Hag’s team delivered one of their trademark ‘back-from-the-dead’ conclusions.
Despite John McGinn and Leander Dendoncker providing Aston Villa with a well-deserved halftime lead, Manchester United staged a resilient comeback in the second half. They maintained their determination even after Alejandro Garnacho had a goal disallowed by VAR due to a marginal offside decision.
The 19-year-old Argentine played a pivotal role in the resurgence, scoring twice in a game for the first time in his career and overturning the game’s dynamics.
Villa attempted to thwart the onslaught of attacks from the home side, but akin to the resilience reminiscent of the Sir Alex Ferguson era, United displayed tenacity.
For the home fans, Rasmus Hojlund emerged as a fitting scorer, reacting quickly to slot home the ball after Bruno Fernandes’ corner struck McGinn and rebounded within a congested penalty area.
The relief for Hojlund and his team-mates was clear to see, with goalkeeper Andre Onana racing the full length of the pitch to join in the celebrations as Ten Hag bounced in delight, his fists clenched in evident celebration.
Garnacho turns the game on its head
Brailsford gained renown through the concept of ‘marginal gains,’ which proved highly successful in the realm of cycling.
In football, as in cycling, small events can have significant impacts. With the score leveled at 2-2 and Old Trafford electrified, Villa initiated a counter-attack.
McGinn seized possession and aimed for the goal within the penalty area. The shot seemed destined for the net, but veteran central defender Jonny Evans, thrust into action due to a slew of injuries that have plagued Ten Hag’s squad and sidelined international duo Luke Shaw and Sofyan Amrabat since the defeat at West Ham over the weekend, extended his left leg and deflected the ball away.
This crucial intervention allowed the hosts to capitalize on Garnacho’s brace, securing a victory that brings them within three points of Manchester City, although the reigning world champions have two games in hand.
In a team that has struggled to find the back of the net, Garnacho demonstrated impeccable timing in rediscovering his scoring touch. His speed and movement have troubled numerous defenses this season, and on this occasion, he showcased a decisive end product.
The first was a relative tap-in as Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford combined, just as they had done for his disallowed goal, to set Garnacho up.
The second required more involvement, as Garnacho initially fed Fernandes, whose low cross bounced back to the winger, whose shot struck a defender and looped in.
From delight to despair for Villa
While Brailsford observed the proceedings from the top row of the directors’ box, seated beside interim chief executive Patrick Stewart, Ten Hag appeared isolated as the challenging first half unfolded. With his hands tucked into his coat pockets, the Dutchman seemed powerless to alter his team’s unfortunate circumstances.
Former United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, who sat just in front of Brailsford, thankfully displayed positive recovery from his recent brain haemorrhage. Van der Sar is familiar with Ten Hag and Andre Onana from his tenure as Ajax chief executive, and he holds significant confidence in Onana’s abilities.
One can only speculate about Van der Sar’s thoughts on Villa’s opening goal, where McGinn’s free-kick bounced into the six-yard area and found the far corner, leaving Onana rooted to his position with none of his defenders intervening to clear the danger. Five minutes later, Villa capitalized on more subpar defending as Clement Lenglet, left unmarked, headed McGinn’s corner back into the danger area, allowing Dendoncker to flick home the visitors’ second.
The boos echoed audibly, resounding again at the halftime whistle as Ten Hag marched down the touchline, his face adorned with a now familiar scowl.
By that juncture, Emiliano Martinez had thwarted Rashford twice and also denied Hojlund. While United sought a route back into the game, Martinez appeared composed, exemplified by his robust tackle on Rashford to win possession—a representation of Villa’s determined effort to secure a rare victory at Old Trafford that could have elevated them to second place.
However, it was another, younger Argentine who ultimately had the last laugh, as Hojlund provided the decisive moment at the end, beginning to justify the weight of the £64 million transfer fee that had hung over him since his summer move from Atalanta.