Rasmus Hojlund’s first Premier League goal completes a sensational comeback from Manchester United to beat Aston Villa 3–2 on Boxing Day.
Manchester United survived an early scare after coming from behind to beat in-form Aston Villa in a thrilling festive fixture.
The host were two goals down before Alejandro Garnacho provided an impressive performance and a brace to end a run of 440 minutes of football without a goal in all competitions for Eric ten Hag’s Men.
Rasmus Hojlund sealed a dramatic winner for the Red Devils after playing 1026 minutes of English Football without a goal.
24 hours after INEOS announced their 25% stake in Manchester United, news that has left a sour taste in the mouths of many United fans, Erik ten Hag led his men into a Boxing Day duel with title contenders Aston Villa. Manchester United have been under scrutiny both on and off the pitch due to their inconsistencies and inability to score goals.
Despite going four matches without a goal or a win, they are the only English side not to have lost a Boxing Day fixture at home dating back to 1978 — a tradition they hope to maintain.
Desperate to turn things around after Saturday’s poor defeat to West Ham, United needed a strong performance against Emery’s Villa team. But two quick goals from McGinn and Leander Dedoncker put Villa ahead.
The host can not afford another loss to Villa after enduring a torrid start to the season. The visitors capitalized on United’s defensive fragility and took the lead through their skipper. It wasn’t the start ten Hag hoped for, especially with a member of the INEOS group watching from the stands.
Aston Villa’s second goal came through another set piece when Clément Lenglet headed towards Leader Dedoncker to extend their lead by two goals, leaving United with a game to chase.
It was the second time this season that United have fallen behind by two goals in a Premier League home game.
The away end erupted in cheers, while the Strafford End watched in despair, their beloved team steering down the barrel after losing 14 games in 27 matches.
No team had come back to beat this Villa team this season, and this was the 10th time they had taken the lead. All hope seemed lost, a generational record of over 45 years on the brink of collapse.
The introduction of Eriksen into the midfield sparked a flicker of hope. He combined with Bruno Fernandes to solidify the middle and provide insightful passes to the attackers. Rashford and Garnacho, however, found themselves repeatedly caught offside by Villa’s well-drilled backline, the highest in catching opposition players offside this season.
While Emery’s Army seemed comfortable, desperation mounted within the United ranks as they struggled to exploit Villa’s high line. With patience and courage, they finally took control of possession, and getting Rashford and Garnacho involved proved crucial.
The Reds’ most promising moment came in the 35th minute when Rashford sent Garnacho through on goal, the young Argentinian rounded Martinez but saw his effort ruled offside by VAR, much to the home crowd’s dismay.
The halftime whistle blew, and Villa looked set to head into the break with a 2-goal cushion. United had faced nothing but misfortune in the first half, the disallowed goal adding to a sense of despair. The aggrieved home crowd booed their team off the pitch.
But the second half brought a dramatic turnaround. Garnacho, a menace in the first half, broke the deadlock in the 59th minute, ending United’s 440-minute goalless drought in all competitions. Onana made a brilliant save to prevent Villa from extending their lead, but United pressed on, with Marcus Rashford cheerleading their surge for a comeback.
Desperate for victory, United found the net again through Garnacho’s deflected shot, sending Old Trafford into a frenzy.
Aston Villa looked vulnerable, ten Hag knew his team stood a chance to grab a late winner, so he quickly withdrew Rashford and introduced Anthony to bolster his attack.
The atmosphere became intense, and the fans wanted more. United, roared on by their fans, found their winner through Rasmus Hojlund when he incisively converted Erikson’s corner into the back of the net to score his first Premier League goal and send Old Trafford into delirium, leaving Aston Villa stunned.
With so much passion and resilience, the moment has come for United.
After going 2–0 down, United had pulled off the impossible. It was a moment of passion, endurance, and joy. A moment that brought glory, and might change the course of their season.
After 1000 frustrating minutes of English football, 15 appearances, and 19 shots, Hojlund found joy under the light at Old Trafford.
According to Opta, Manchester United have now won 14 Premier League games in which they have trailed by at least two goals, at least five more such wins than any other side in the Premier League history.
With this thrilling comeback, Erik ten Hag’s men climbed to 7th place in the table after 15 matches. They travel to Nottingham Forest next in a 5 pm Saturday Premier League fixture, while Aston Villa look to maintain their 100% home record when they host struggling Burnley on Saturday lunchtime.
