Aston Villa pulled off a remarkable comeback to beat Manchester United 3-2 at Old Trafford on Sunday, ending the hosts’ unbeaten run in the Premier League. Villa scored three goals in the last 15 minutes to overturn a 2-0 deficit and claim their first win at the Theatre of Dreams since 2009.
United dominate first half
Manchester United looked comfortable and in control in the first half, as they took a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Bruno Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo. Fernandes opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a superb free-kick from 25 yards, curling the ball over the wall and into the top corner. Ronaldo doubled the advantage in the 34th minute, tapping in from close range after a cross from Mason Greenwood.
Villa had a few chances to reduce the gap, but they were denied by some fine saves from David de Gea. The Spanish goalkeeper kept out a header from Ollie Watkins and a volley from John McGinn, while Tyrone Mings also headed wide from a corner.
Villa stage dramatic comeback
The second half saw a different story, as Villa came out with more intensity and aggression, putting United under pressure and creating more opportunities. They got their reward in the 75th minute, when McGinn scored with a low shot from the edge of the box, after a clever lay-off from Danny Ings.
The visitors then equalized in the 80th minute, when Leander Dendoncker headed in from a corner, beating de Gea at the near post. The Belgian midfielder celebrated his first goal for Villa, who sensed a historic victory.
The drama was not over, as Villa completed their stunning turnaround in the 87th minute, when Ings scored with a spectacular overhead kick from a cross by Matty Cash. The former Southampton striker showed his acrobatic skills and his clinical finishing, as he sent the ball into the top corner, leaving de Gea helpless.
United tried to salvage a point in the dying minutes, but they were frustrated by some resolute defending from Villa, who held on for a memorable win.
Reaction and analysis
The result was a huge blow for United, who missed the chance to go top of the table and suffered their first defeat in the league since January. They also lost their 100% home record and their 29-game unbeaten run in the league. The fans booed the team at the final whistle, as they expressed their disappointment and anger.
The manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, admitted that his side were complacent and sloppy in the second half, and praised Villa for their performance. He said: “We were very good in the first half, but we let them back into the game in the second half. We were too passive and we gave them too much space. They deserved to win, they were better than us. We have to learn from this and bounce back.”
The captain, Harry Maguire, echoed his manager’s words and apologized to the fans for the defeat. He said: “We are very disappointed, we let ourselves and the fans down. We were too comfortable at 2-0 and we switched off. We have to take responsibility and improve. We have to show more character and fight.”
On the other hand, the result was a huge boost for Villa, who moved up to eighth in the table and extended their unbeaten run to four games. They also ended their 12-year wait for a win at Old Trafford and their 26-game winless streak against United in the league.
The manager, Dean Smith, hailed his team’s character and spirit, and said that they never gave up. He said: “It was a fantastic performance and a fantastic result. We showed great belief and resilience, and we never stopped working. We knew we had a chance if we stayed in the game, and we took our chances when they came. It was a special day for us and our fans.”
The hero, Ings, said that he was delighted to score the winner and praised his teammates for their efforts. He said: “It was an amazing feeling to score that goal, it was one of the best of my career. I just tried to hit it as hard as I could and it went in. It was a great team performance, we worked hard for each other and we deserved the win.”
