FT Man Utd 4-2 Aston Villa.

 

Player ratings as Manchester United wins second half thriller. 

Manchester United meets Aston Villa for the second time in less than a week after a dramatic PL encounter on Unai Emery's first day back in the Premier League after a failed stint with Arsenal. United lost 3-1 to tonight's visitors and had a weekend to forget after putting in a lackluster performance.

But United shake off a sloppy and boring first half to win with a commanding second half performance. Jacob Ramsey put the visitors ahead earlier on to pile more pressure on the home team, but United responded immediately with a quick and rapid runs forward which saw Bruno Fernandes being allowed too much space in the box to set Anthony Martial for the equaliser less than a minute after Villa scored to bring the game back to live.

But Villa went in front again after subtitude  and tricky winger Leon Bailey had a squared shot turned home by Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot in to his own net. Sending helpless debutant and on loan goalkeeper Martin Dubravka the wrong direction. 

United looked miserable throughout the game and failed to create a meaningful chance, to say the least until Manager Erik  ten Hag decided to shake things up with a string of changes which saw lively young Argentina forward Alejandro Garnacho, Christian Erikson and Anthony Elanga come on for a complete switch of formation by the Dutch tactician.

 

The risk paid off with United threatening to turn things around by throwing everything at the visitors with a series of quick fire and dangerous attacking runs in behind. With Garnacho and fellow subtitudes proving really fresh and too sharp for the sloppy and well exhausted Villa defense. 

United got an equaliser for their troubles after Villa keeper Olsen gave the ball away carelessly with a dreadful pass from the back as a resilent Marcus Rashford pressing saw him wrestled off Konsa and a slipping Tyron Mings in a kinda tight corner to slot home from close range.

United where fully back in to the game and they showed more superioty in midfield when substitute Scot McTominay rattled the cross bar with a sprawling distance strike.

 Bruno Fernandes capped an otherwise underwhelming first half which saw him played out of position initially to the right wing. 

Next big thing Alejandro Garnacho spiced the night up with a terrific assist to set McTominay on goal with a pin point accurate long ball which set the Scot in the best position to slot home a well deserved goal for his lively displays from the middle of the park.

Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez where both thrown in the dying embers of the game to solidify the defense and finally put the game to bed.

Big win, Big come back. well deserved for the red devils. Erik ten Hag's side proceeds to the next round of the English Carling cup being sponsored by Carabao which has been modernized in to the Carabao cup. United will host Fulham next in the PL on Sunday as they take on their last fixture before the World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

Man Utd player ratings

GK: Martin Dubravka (6)

RB: Diogo Dalot (5) 

CB: Lindelof (7)

CB: Harry Maguire (7)

LB: Tyrell Malacia (8)

CM: Scott McTominay (8)

CM: Fred (6)

ATM: Bruno Fernandes (9) 

RW: Donny van de Beek (6) 

ST: Anthony Martial (7) 

LW: Marcus Rashford (8)

Subs: Alejandro Garnacho (8), Anthony Elanga (6), Christian Eriksen (8), Casemiro (N/A), Lisandro Martinez (N/A).

Aston Villa player ratings

GK: Robin Olsen (5); RB: Ashley Young (6), CB: Ezri Konsa (6), CB: Calum Chambers (5), LB: Ludwig Augustinsson (5); CM: Douglas Luiz (6), CM: John McGinn (7), CM: Boubacar Kamara (6); RW: Jacob Ramsey (7), ST: Danny Ings (6), LW: Ollie Watkins (7).

Subs: Emiliano Buendia (6), Leon Bailey (6), Tyrone Mings (6), Matty Cash (6), Lucas Digne (6).