Man United 2-2 Aston Villa Premier League: Live score, team news and updates as Alejandro Garnacho hauls hosts back on level terms as Erik ten Hag’s men fight back

Evans with a goal-saving block

The veteran managed to get his toe to a shot from Bailey in the area. The chance came moments after Garnacho’s leveller and would have sileced the bouyant United crowd but the Evans stretched to deny Villa when they looked certain to retake the lead.

The offside flag went up soon after but it would have been a tight call for VAR.

United rue Hojlund’s offside position

The forward controlled a wonderful ball from out wide and charged towards goal before being brought down for what would have been a penalty.

But as the fans rose in expectation, the linesman raised his flag to signal an offside. It’s just not hapening at the moment for the young striker.

Garnacho narrowly misses the target

The youngster is leading the United charge. He nicked the ball of a Villa defender before standing Carlos and striking on goal.

Unfortunately for United the shot flashed just wide of the mark but it was more great stuff from the home side.

Bailey comes close to restoring advantage

The winger sees his volley in the area turned away by Onana. It’s a good save by the much-maligned keeper, who was going one way before readjusting to make the stop.

Almost a carbon copy of the goal that was disallowed but this time it counts. Garnacho gets his goal after more superb work from Fernandes and Rashford.

It’s game on at Old Trafford!

Martinez clatters Rashford

The keeper could be in trouble here. The away side are playing a dangerously high line, forcing Martinez to sweep up upfield.

The Villa keeper came charging out of his box as Rashford tried to get on the end of Fernandes’ raking ball and lucky for the Argentine, he got their first.

Rashford just gets back to his feet with the keeper cleared by VAR of a red card.

No goal for United

Villa get a reprieve. United thought they had found a way back into the tie but Garnacho was ahead of Rashford when the England international played the ball across the line.

Garnacho really shouldn’t have been caught beyond.

It’s a tight call for offside here

Garnacho finds the net

It was great play from United deep into their own half before Fernandes found Rashford running in behind.

The forward played the ball across to Garnacho, who confidently rounded Martinez before slotting it into an empty net.

However, there’s a check for offside.

Varane saves it from being 3!

Watkins was so close to adding a third for Villa but for Varane’s intervention on the goal line.

The Frenchman got his boot to Bailey’s cross just before Watkins could head home.

Villa kick things off in the second period.

It’s now OVER SEVEN HOURS since the Red Devils last found the net.

Well, that’s not what the doctor ordered for United. Villa have been good without being especially impressive. The away side have managed to grab two goals from awful United defending.

At the back, Emery’s side haven’t even been all that secure. United have managed to get in on a few ocassions but each time they’ve contrived to squander their openings.

McGinn got the first from a freekick that was poorly defended before Dendoncker profitted from an even worse defensive structure.

This may be one of the most important half-time team talks of Ten Hag’s reign at the club.

The discontent is threatening to spill over.

Ramsey goes into the book

The midfielder brings down Garnacho as he ran through and threatened to force a chance for the hosts.

United still have time to find that route back into the game.

Rashford goes close again

…But he really should have passed. The forward has been the side’s best player in the half and he took on Konsa before letting off a strike with his left foot in the box.

But Konsa had defended him well and Rashford should have looked to find his teammates in the box. As it turned out, the England international’s strike went wide of the goal.

It’s not making for good viewing

The away side have just started to get their foot on the ball against after United’s flurry.

Konsa embarked on a lung-bursting run into the final third before he exchanged passes with McGinn and left of a left-footed strike that was closed down.

It hasn’t made for good viewing

It hasn’t been the best start to viewing at Old Trafford for Sir Dave Brailsford…

Another shot by Rashford

The pressure is well and truly on with United pushing for a route back into the game.

Rashford stings the gloves of Martinez for a second time but only after Hojlund failed to control a cross that would have given him a golden chance to strike on goal.

The youngster looks devoid of confidence but Rashford has started the game well.

Martinez saves from Rashford

United were in again, this time its Rashford with the effort but Martinez was equal to it.

The forward cracked a drive from the edge of the area after a pass from Fernandes but the Villa stopper anticipated well to dive the right way and hold onto the ball.

Moments later, Hojlund was inches away from a Garnacho cross. It’s good stuff from the home side.

Bruno fires wide

Finally a response from the home side. Fernandes was unable to control a long ball that would have seen him with a chance on goal.

The United skipper flashed his shot wide of the mark but it’s a start.

Oh it’s an even worse second! Lenglet was totally unmarked at the far post from a corner and he headed it back to Dendoncker, who was able to flick the ball past a stranded Onana.

Some boos could be heard in Old Trafford after the second. Two poor goals have seen Villa take a commanding lead.

It’s a poor goal to concede as McGinn’s freekick goes straight in past Onana and into the goal.

Bailey caused a bit of havoc before the delivery came in by standing next to the United stopper but he vacated the area as McGinn’s cross evaded everyone and gave the away side an early lead.

Evans saves the day

Villa will be even more of a threat as the game opens up. United have just started to get pulled apart after launching attacks.

Evans has just thwarted a dangerous attack after United gave the ball away. The game is on a knife edge – the first goal will be vital.

Ten Hag will be satisified with the start his team have made to the game.

They haven’t managed to craft any clear cut chances and Villa have threatened on a couple of ocassions but United look in much better shape than they did against West Ham early on.

There is more blanace to their midfield with Eriksen returning to teh fray.

Eriksen has the first shot of the game

The Dane has the first effort on goal in the game but it was a comfortable one for Martinez in the Villa goal.

It all came from a looping ball into the box that was headed away to the edge where Eriksen stood before firing in a shot.

Villa are looking to exploit the flanks on the break

Emery’s side haven’t been able to enact their gameplan just yet, but it’s clear to see what they’re trying to do.

Villa have struggled on the road this season but tonight they could get some joy against an opponent that’ll look to dictate the play.

The away side have been unable to get Bailey involved, however he is sure to fancy the match-up on the right wing against Dalot.

United make a confident start

Only a few minutes gone but United have enjoyed the majority of the ball in the early exchanges. Villa seem content to let their hosts have the ball and United have obliged by playing it among their defence and midfield.

United get the game underway.

The players are out onto the Old Trafford turf. Kick-off is just minutes away.

It’s a massive night for several United players but maybe none more so than Rashford, who makes his first start for the club since the beginning of December.

The 26-year-old has managed just two goals in 17 Premier League appearances this term, with the last coming in a 3-0 win at Goodison Park in November.

In fact, United fans have not witnessed a league goal from the forward at Old Trafford this season. You’ll have to go back to the 3-1 victory against Chelsea in May for the last time he scored in front of home fans in the Premier League.

Rashford is due to start tonight’s game on the left, moving Garnacho out to the right flank, with the pair supporting Hojlund – himself desperate for goals.

The under-fire boss has spoken about the experience he has brought back into the team for tonight’s clash.

The Dutchman really needs a positive result after the changes that have taken place in the boardroom this week.

Players are out onto the pitch going through their warm-ups ahead of the 8pm kick-off. Can United mark the week’s good news with a good post-Christmas result for the fans?

Its all over at Turf Moor as Liverpool seal a 2-0 win over Burnley to move to the top of the Premier League.

Emery’s side could join them on 42 points ahead of Arsenal’s clash against West Ham on Thursday.

Former Red Devils star Robin van Persie is also in the building to watch the final game at Old Trafford in 2023.

According to reports, INEOS director of sport Sir Dave Brailsford will be in attendance for tonight’s clash.

The away side come into the game 11 points ahead of Man United. Yes, you read that correctly! These are two sides whose fortunes have been very different of late.

With Liverpool currently leading at Turf Moor, the best Villa can hope for tonight is to move into the Premier League’s top two.

But a late leveler by the Clarets and a win at Old Trafford could see Emery’s team take top spot.

The timing of the completion of Sir Jim Ratcliffe‘s £1.25billion deal to buy 25 per cent of Manchester United was exquisite. I have no idea if Britain’s second richest man has a God complex but when it was Christmas Eve that brought confirmation of his investment in England‘s most famous football club, it certainly made it look that way.

The saviour-symbolism was so obvious that the press release might as well have been etched on a stained-glass window.

United need a saviour. No one is about to dispute that. Their season is lurching from one low to another. One metric says that they have made their worst start to a campaign since 1930, they finished bottom of their Champions League group and languish in eighth place in the Premier League, where only Sheffield United have scored fewer goals.

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• Man United and Villa are the two sides with the most victories on Boxing Day in English Football League history
• The Red Devils are on a run of four games without a goal
• The Villans have two wins in the last 14 years at Old Trafford, most recently in a 1-0 win in 2021
• Unai Emery’s side come into the game on a 10-match unbeaten run

It’s FOUR changes for Erik ten Hag from thier 2-0 defeat to West Ham. In come Eriksen, Varane, Rashford and Dalot for Kambwala, Shaw, McTominay and Antony.

Unai Emery brings Dendoncker and Carlos into his starting XI in place of Cash and Diaby.

Here’s the United players arricing at the ground about an hour ago. Everyone associated with the club is hoping for a happy night in the wake of the recent changes upstairs.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has written to Manchester United fans promising to do everything he can to take Manchester United back to the pinnacle of world football.

In it, Ratcliffe acknowledged INEOS’s role as ‘custodians of the club on your behalf’ and admitted it could take time to revive United’s fortunes after a decade of under-achievement.

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Hello and welcome to Mail Sport’s coverage of Man United’s clash against Aston Villa as the Red Devils host the in-form Villans on Boxing Day.

It is the first game of a new era, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS Group completing their minority purchase of the club on Christmas Eve. United suffered their latest demolarising defeat – 2-0 against West Ham – a day earlier and under-fire boss Erik ten Hag will be looking to make a good impression with the new stakeholders.

As for Unai Emery’s side, they’re looking bounce back from a disappointing 1-1 home draw against Sheffield United last time out.

It promises to be a good one in Manchester and we’ll have all the news ahead of the 8pm kick-off, and then updates from the action from play gets underway!