Manchester United defeated Aston Villa 3-2 on Boxing Day, in their last match at Old Trafford in 2023, sending this turbulent year out with a proper bang. After getting two goals behind inside of the first half hour of the game, Erik Ten Hag’s team managed to get a big turnaround in the second half, securing only their 10th Premier League win of the campaign.
Poor Start Igniting The Worst Fears
But United had to do it the hard way. Yet another time, Man United started poorly, getting behind and against Aston Villa it was the same old set piece problems. John McGinn scored the opener after 21 minutes when his cross from the right-hand side free kick did not touch anyone before going into the net. The defence was disoriented, while Andre Onana remained unsure whether to attack the ball or not.
The second goal came after another McGinn cross, this time from a corner kick. Lenglet was left completely on his own on the far post, which was not enough for him to shoot on goal, but he headed the ball down towards Leander Dendoncker, who put it into the net just five minutes after the opener.
Garnacho Brings United Back To Life
But then came Alejandro Garnacho, the saviour of the night. In the span of 12 minutes, he scored a brace which leveled United with 20 minutes to go. Playing on the right wing, he proved he could offer plenty from that side as well, combining well with Marcus Rashford whose cross across the penalty area from the left was met with a swift finish. Then, he was created a position for himself to equalise, showing Ten Hag why he deserves to be a starter, on whichever wing the manager finds him suitable.
Hojlund Breaks The Curse
Rasmus Hojlund came to Manchester this past summer and he had to wait for the Boxing Day to become a Premier League goalscorer. He did not need much time in the Champions League to score five goals, but things were different in the Premier League.
He struggled with the team, he was not getting enough service, but on Tuesday night he was the hero who won the match. After 1023 minutes of Premier League football, Hojlund finally scored, now getting himself in the right position to pounce on the mistake from Aston Villa defenders and use the deflected ball to strike it into the net.
The Team Keeps Fighting At The End Of 2023
Manchester United are a team far from where they and their fans want them to be. This match further highlighted the problems that exist, despite the three points. But it is good to see that in the final match at Old Trafford in 2023, this team is still fighting to do their best. Whilst many things could be said of the players’ qualities or Erik Ten Hag himself, no one can say this team is not trying. This comeback will offer some hope, but Man United fans will need the team to do so much more in 2024.
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