Premier League: Garnacho inspires United to comeback win

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 Manchester United 3 - 2 Aston Villa

Rasmus Hojlund scored his first goal in the Premier League, propelling Manchester United to a spectacular comeback from a two-goal deficit against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Boxing Day.

Under the management of Erik ten Hag, the team showcased their resilience with a remarkable turnaround in the match. Despite John McGinn and Leander Dendoncker giving Villa a deserving lead at half-time, United displayed unwavering determination in the second half. 

More Premier League news here - Premier League news and stories: 2023/2024 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com)

Even after Alejandro Garnacho had a goal disallowed by VAR for a marginal offside, the 19-year-old Argentine spearheaded the comeback by scoring twice, marking a significant milestone in his career.

Villa tried to withstand the onslaught from the home team, but United, reminiscent of the old tenacity from the Sir Alex Ferguson era, persevered. The decisive moment came when Hojlund, seizing the opportunity, reacted swiftly to Bruno Fernandes' corner that had rebounded off McGinn, and he hammered the ball home in a crowded penalty area.

The relief and joy were evident among Hojlund and his teammates, with goalkeeper Andre Onana rushing the length of the pitch to join the celebrations. Ten Hag, visibly delighted, clenched his fists in celebration.

McGinn took a shot in the penalty area, seemingly on target, but veteran defender Jonny Evans intervened with a crucial block. 

Man United 3 - 2 Aston Villa - 1

This defensive effort allowed United to capitalise on Garnacho's double, securing a victory that narrowed the gap to just three points behind Manchester City, although City has two games in hand as the new world champions. Garnacho, in a team struggling to score goals, showcased impeccable timing with his clinical finishing. His speed and movement, which troubled many defences throughout the season, were complemented by a tangible end product in this match.

As the match unfolded, Ten Hag, seated with his hands in his coat pocket, appeared helpless during the challenging first half. The boos from the crowd were audible at halftime, reflecting the frustration. However, the second half saw a transformed United side, and Hojlund's crucial goal marked a turning point in the match.

The defensive lapses leading to Villa's goals were met with disappointment, but the atmosphere changed as United rallied. Former United keeper Edwin van der Sar, present in the directors' box witness to many United comebacks as a participant, enjoyed another memorable moment as Hojlund made a significant contribution to start justifying his huge transfer fee. 

Manchester United's soap opera of a season continues. Who knows what direction it will go in next. All we can say for certain is that this was a very different United side to the one that played so poorly against West Ham United.

Some of the best reaction

These Manchester United fans were clearly very happy after the match. One United fans used the match to make Twitter/X users reminisce about another occasion where the Red Devils came back from 2-0 down to beat Villa 3-2.  

@UnitedPeoplesTV tweeted: "What a comeback. What a winner from Rasmus Hojlund. What a performance from Alejandro Garnacho. What a game. Erik ten Hag needed that. I needed that. You needed that. Merry Christmas indeed. Best 45 minutes of the season and we have to build on it."

Fellow United Twitter account United District was also pleased and enjoyed the antics of former United legend Patrice Evra who was working as a pundit for Prime. 

 Villa fans were less happy with the result and second-half performance, especially after such a great season so far. Their official account posted the thoughts of boss Unai Emery. The former Arsenal boss said: "It is the first half of the season and it is brilliant - the work we did - but of course, we lost a very amazing opportunity tonight, to be with three points more after the first 60 minutes we played."

@b_z_p1 was pleased with the response from his boss. He replied with the following: "Nice to see him angry in the interviews he's done tonight. There's been a touch of the Klopp about him in answering some questions, which every now and again is refreshing - especially given his normally measured approach."

Click here to find more news and stories from Villa Park. 

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