Hojlund breaks scoring duck to complete dramatic United comeback

MANCHESTER UNITED 3 ASTON VILLA 2 

TWO goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund’s first in the league capped a remarkable comeback from Manchester United and avoided what would have been a damaging home defeat for his team as they prepare for a new chapter in their recent history.

New minority owners may be in the pipeline but, as United trailed 2-0, it appeared like a depressingly familiar story was in store for Erik ten Hag’s team.

But Garnacho scored his second of the night to equalise on 71 minutes, starting the move and, after Bruno Fernandes’s cross was dfeflected into his path, scoring from 16 yards.

The Old Trafford crowd was now transformed and smelling a complete recovery and it was duly delivered on 81 minutes from a Fernandes corner from the right.

John McGinn failed to properly clear, simply delivering the ball to Hojlund who hooked in superbly, with an instinctive finish from around the penalty spot.

It was a successful end to an evening in which the Christmas joy that had come for United supporters in the tantalising prospect of seeing the beginning of the end of the ownership of the hated Glazer family did not take long to unravel.

Five minutes, to be precise: the length of time it took for John McGinn and Leander Dendoncker to put Villa 2-0 up and leave United facing the prospect of a fifth home league defeat of the season.

And, again, there were not only major question marks about ten Hag’s dense but, more specifically, his goalkeeper Andre Onana.

A 21st minute free-kick, awarded for a high Fernandes challenge on Dendoncker, took some time to take, as Leon Bailey distracted the United keeper by standing on his goalline, a fractious discussion ensuing between the two players and referee Craig