Manchester United 3-2 Aston Villa: Hojlund scores first PL goal as Red Devils come back from two goals down to win Boxing day thriller

Rasmus Hojlund's first Premier League goal secured Manchester United's 3-2 win over Aston Villa after Alejandro Garnacho scored a brace to help Manchester United come back from a two-goal deficit on Tuesday.

United, who were booed off the Old Trafford pitch at halftime, moved up to sixth place in the table with 31 points, while Villa, who lost for the first time in 11 games in all competitions, are third with 39 points, missing a chance to draw level with league leaders Liverpool.

Hojlund finally broke his league goal drought in the 82nd minute, when a United corner bounced off John McGinn's knee and fell to the Dane. The 20-year-old swatted it in off the post and left the game to a standing ovation.

In the 21st minute, McGinn scored for Villa on a long free kick that sailed past several players and into the bottom left corner. Five minutes later, Leander Dendoncker doubled their lead from close range after an unmarked Clement Lenglet headed a corner kick back across goal.

Before Garnacho scored his first goal in the 59th minute with a powerful shot from the center of the box, United looked to be headed for their ninth loss in 19 league games. He equalized for the hosts in the 71st minute after a pass from Bruno Fernandes, before Hojlund scored the game-winning goal.

United, who were playing for the first time since British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe agreed to take a minority stake in the club on Christmas Eve, appeared done and dusted at halftime, but their second-half turnaround was remarkable.

Garnacho thought he had pulled one back for United minutes after halftime when Marcus Rashford delivered a pinpoint pass that he calmly went around goalkeeper Emi Martinez and slotted home, but VAR determined he was offside.

United continued to attack in waves, with seven shots on goal compared to four for Villa, and were finally rewarded in the final half hour.

Hojlund, who joined United from Atalanta in August, had five goals in four Champions League games, but his lack of league scoring had raised concerns in recent weeks.

He responded on Tuesday, and after the game, Ten Hag, Garnacho, and goalkeeper Andre Onana took turns hugging the young player.

SportsLigue