Dalot, whose weight was going the wrong way, changes direction and dives to his left to make a fine save. 9:20PM Goal! Man Utd 1 Aston Villa 2 (Garnacho 59) This time it counts! Fernandes wins the ball in the centre circle, charges forward and plays a classy through pass to Rashford on the left side of the area. He slides a pinpoint low cross that is turned in at the far post by Garnacho. That’s a really good team goal - and we have a helluva game on now, 9:17PM 57 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 2 Fernandes makes enough room to crunch a shot from 22 yards that is saved to his right by the diving Martinez. United’s attacking performance since going 2-0 down has been their best in a while.
Sir Dave Brailsford, the Ineos director of sport, is among the crowd at Old Trafford 8:12PM 12 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 0 Bailey, who has made a lively start, beats Dalot with a stepover and slides a low cross that is turned behind at the near post by Evans. McGinn’s corner is punched away by Onana. 8:11PM 11 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 0 A better spell for United. Dalot’s up and under is headed to the edge of the D, where Eriksen pings a sweet half-volley into the arms of Martinez. 8:09PM 9 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 0 McGinn wins a corner off Rashford to continue Villa’s promising start. He takes it short to Digne, who is dispossessed.
That was terrific defending. Evans runs 50 yards with the ball then plays a safe pass on the halfway line. Rashford, who had made a run in behind, waves his arms in disgust for the second time tonight. Marcus Rashford has shown frustration with his United teammates Credit: Naomi Baker/Getty Images Europe 8:16PM 15 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 0 An unsure touch from Eriksen, of all people, jiggers a very promising United counter-attack.
But they are still 2-0 down. 9:15PM 55 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 2 Martinez charges from his area to make a very aggressive tackle on Rashford. United want a free-kick and therefore, presumably, a red card, but Martinez won the ball cleanly and then tripped Rashford in his follow through. The check is complete. 9:12PM 52 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 2 Dalot plays a lovely reverse pass to release Rashford, who overhits his cross. 9:10PM Goal disallowed! 50 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 2 Another punch in the stomach for United. Meanwhile Lucas Digne has gone off after injuring himself while trying to stop Garnacho from scoring.
7:21PM Free bets and betting offers Having a bet on today’s match? First take a look at these free bets and betting offers. 7:11PM Erik ten Hag speaks to Amazon Prime Sport [On the Ineos deal being confirmed on Christmas Eve] I was keep informed through the whole process so I know what’s going on. But my focus is on the game. [Have you had contact with Sir Dave Brailsford? ] I didn’t have contact because it wasn’t allowed during the process, but I was kept informed. He wants to work with us, I want to work with him and his group - they have a lot of experience. I’m looking forward to it. [On tonight’s team] Luke Shaw suffered a minor injury at West Ham so we have to change.
If you can create that challenge state rather than a threat state then you’re in a fantastic place as a team. Read more... Sir Dave Brailsford, Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s trusted director of sport at Ineos, is one of two new directors on the United board Credit: OGC Nice/Icon Sport 7:30PM Full time: Burnley 0 Liverpool 2 Goals from Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota have given Liverpool victory over Burnley at Turf Moor, a result that means Villa can’t go top of the Premier League tonight. Well, they can, but they’d have to win by six goals.
9:05PM Villa get things going again. Neither manager has made any changes. 8:54PM The same old story These are dark times for United and Ten Hag desperately needs a response. United have now gone behind in seven of their 10 Premier League home games this season and it’s currently 426 minutes without a goal. They have led at Old Trafford in the league for just 107 minutes this season. If you include added time it’s around 480 minutes, or eight hours, since United last scored. Marcus Rashford walks off after another goalless half for Manchester United Credit: Martin Rickett/PA 8:52PM Half time: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 2 A misplaced pass from Onana leads to more groans from the home fans, who then respond to the half-time whistle with even louder boos. Manchester United’s nightmare before Christmas has continued after it, with Villa in control thanks to set-piece goals from John McGinn (aided by an ingenious bit of positioning from Leon Bailey, who stood behind Andre Onana in a successful attempt to put him off) and Leander Dendoncker.
Fernandes shoots wide from the edge of the area after running onto a long pass from Eriksen, then Rashford’s impatient shot from 16 yards is comfortably saved to his left by the diving Martinez. Boos reverberating around Old Trafford. #MUFC 2-0 down now after conceding twice in four minutes. More suspect Onana GKing for the first from free-kick, defending for second from corner shambolic. #AVFC fans to Ten Hag: "You're getting sacked in the morning"— James Ducker (@TelegraphDucker) December 26, 2023 30 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 2 United started reasonably well, but they are in danger of collapsing now. Manchester United's players react to the first goal 8:28PM Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 2 (Dendoncker 26) Another set piece, another goal, and there are boos at Old Trafford! McGinn’s very deep inswinging corner was headed back across goal by Lenglet, totally unmarked, and Dendoncker cushioned an ingenious flick past Onana with the outside of the right foot. Leander Dendoncker flicks Villa into a 2-0 lead at Old Trafford Credit: Nathan Stirk/Getty Images Europe 8:25PM 23 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 1 There was a VAR check but the goal has been given to McGinn.
Garnacho charged down the right and slid the ball square to Eriksen, who tried to feed it through to Rashford. The touch was too light and the ball ran behind Rashford, who with a better touch would have been through on goal. At the other end, Bailey’s shot from the edge of the area is blocked. It’s developing into a decent game. 8:15PM 14 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 0 Here’s another shot of Sir Dave Brailsford, the Ineos director of sport, who is at Old Trafford tonight. He has a seriously big job ahead.
Even so, a goal before half-time would make things interesting. 8:37PM 35 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 2 Rashford’s stinging shot is pushed away by Martinez. Moments later, Onana pings a stunning long pass to release Dalot, forcing Diego Carlos to concede a corner with a lunging challenge in the six-yard box. Dalot looked offside but play was allowed to continue. 8:34PM 32 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 2 Fernandes releases Garnacho, whose low cross is just too far in front of Hojlund at the far post. He would have had an open goal, though the positioning of Diego Carlos made it a deceptively difficult ball for Garnacho to play. Rasmus Hojlund can't quite reach Alejandro Garnacho's cross Credit: Ash Donelon/Manchester United 8:32PM 31 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 2 Better from United.
8:03PM 2 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 0 Man Utd have started with Rashford on the left and Garnacho on the right. Incidentally, Sir Dave Brailsford is among the crowd at Old Trafford. Sir Dave Brailsford, the Ineos director of sport, is in attendance 8:02PM 1 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 0 Bruno Fernandes gets the game under way, with Man Utd kicking from left to right as we watch. 7:59PM Here come the players It’s not quite the beginning of a new era, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe certainly isn’t doing keepy-uppies in front of the Stretford End, but it is a chance for United to lift the mood going into 2024. Whatever happens tonight, the mood at Villa Park will be exceedingly positive. Aston Villa captain John McGinn applauds the away end 7:52PM A reminder of the teams Man Utd (4-2-3-1) Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Evans, Dalot; Mainoo, Eriksen; Rashford, Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund.
Substitutes: Bayindir, Reguilon, Kambwala, Gore, Hannibal, McTominay, Van de Beek, Pellistri, Antony. Aston Villa (possible 4-2-2-2) Martinez; Konsa, Diego Carlos, Lenglet, Digne; Dendoncker, Douglas Luiz; McGinn, J Ramsey; Bailey, Watkins. Substitutes: Marschall, Proctor, Pau, Alex Moreno, Chambers, Diaby, Zaniolo, Duran, Iroegbunam. Referee Craig Pawson. Andre Onana is hoping to keep his first clean sheet at Old Trafford since mid-November 7:41PM The pre-match thoughts of Unai Emery Good evening. Our challenge is to play against a team who are a contender to be in the top four. I hope we can show our credentials to be there as well. We respect them but we will play to win. 7:37PM Brailsford's Man Utd vision: how will it be shaped? If we can recognise the difference between what we would term a threat state environment - where you’re working off fear, you feel threatened and it’s not necessarily enjoyable - as against a challenge state environment where you see the opportunity and think, ‘Okay, I’m going to try to express myself and see it more as an adventure’.
There have been one or two signs of a return to form for Rashford, who is so much more comfortable on the left. He still looks in a foul mood though. 8:44PM 43 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 2 Villa have their first extended spell of possession in a while. Eventually Konsa wanders infield and belts a shot from the edge of the D that is blocked by Varane. 8:43PM 41 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 2 Villa have been a bit sloppy in attack since going 2-0 up. Human nature, I guess, but there are more goals out there if they really concentrate. 8:41PM Watch! Dendoncker doubles Villa's lead 8:40PM Watch! McGinn gives Villa the lead 8:38PM 36 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 2 United have had a few half-chances since the second goal, although they have come from desperation - even anger - rather than smooth interplay.
Alejandro Garnacho is fouled by Jacob Ramsey Credit: Carl Recine/Reuters 8:47PM 45+2 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 2 Garnacho hits the side netting with a rising drive after running onto a long pass from Eriksen. It wouldn’t have counted, though, as Villa’s offside trap worked perfectly once again. 8:46PM 45 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 2 Four minutes of added time. 8:45PM 44 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 2 Fernandes launches a United counter-attack by sweeping a superb first-time pass out to Rashford on the left. He moves into the area, twists Konsa inside out but then slices his shot wide of the near post.
United responded quite well, creating a number of openings, but once again they failed to take their chances. 8:48PM 45+3 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 2 Garnacho surges purposefully infield and is taken out by Ramsey, who receives the first yellow card of the game. The resulting free-kick leads to another offside.
Alex Moreno replaces him. 9:09PM VAR check ongoing United broke devastatingly down the left before Rashford - who was beyond the Villa defence - played a square through pass to put Garnacho one on one. He coolly rounded his international teammate Martinez and lifted the ball into the net from a tight angle. But he may have been slightly ahead of Rashford and therefore offside when the ball was played. 9:08PM Goal? Man Utd 1 Aston Villa 2 (Garnacho 48) It’s a terrific goal - but I think it might offside. Alejandro Garnacho celebrates after finishing coolly - but the goal would be disallowed for offside Credit: Matthew Peters/Manchester United 46 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 2 Villa almost make it 3-0 in the first minute of the second half. Bailey curls a wicked ball to the far post, where the stretching Varane takes the ball off the head of Watkins in front of an open goal.
LIVE: Manchester United vs Aston Villa - Premier League 50 minutes ago — Live build up and text commentary of Manchester United against Aston Villa at Old Trafford in the Premier League.
Manchester United 0-2 Aston Villa LIVE: Red Devils booed 27 minutes ago — Man Utd have found themselves 2-0 down inside 26 minutes at home in the Premier League twice this season (also v Nottingham Forest in August).
Man Utd vs Aston Villa live: Hosts booed after Dendoncker doubles visitors' lead – latest updates26 December 2023 • 9:22pm 9:22PM 62 min: Man Utd 1 Aston Villa 2 Another chance for Villa! Douglas Luiz’s driven corner from the left is headed over by Diego Carlos, unmarked by the far post. That was a pretty decent opporunity. 9:21PM 60 min: Man Utd 1 Aston Villa 2 Villa almost restore their two-goal lead from the kick-off! Moreno’s excellent cross is met by Bailey, who gets the run on Dalot and sweeps a volley across goal.
It may have brushed Watkins knee but there was no conclusive evidence. United aren’t happy, though it’s not immediately clear why. There’s no doubt Bailey put Onana off but he was long gone by the time the ball came into the six-yard box. 8:23PM Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 1 (McGinn 22) Fernandes accidentally kicks Dendoncker in the chest to give Villa a free-kick on the right wing. Leon Bailey stands behind Onana, deliberately in an offside position, and then runs off just before McGinn swings a wicked ball into the six-yard box. Nobody is able to make contact and the ball bounces into the far corner of the net with Onana rooted to his line. Aston Villa captain John McGinn, right, celebrates the opening goal Credit: Dave Thompson/AP 8:19PM 18 min: Man Utd 0 Aston Villa 0 Dalot loses the ball in a dangerous area to Bailey, whose short through pass towards Watkins is crucially cut out by Evans.
Manchester United vs Aston Villa live score, updates 39 minutes ago — Man United vs Aston Villa live score. Second half, Goalscorers. Man United, 1, Garnacho 59'. Aston Villa, 2, McGinn 22', Lenglet 26'. Man United ...
