Manchester United vs Aston Villa summary: Garnacho brace, score, goals, highlights, Premier League
Manchester United vs Aston Villa: as it happened
"I'm the happiest man alive right now"
"We were two-nil down but we never give up"
FT: Manchester United 3-2 Aston Villa
From being booed at half-time, to moving into the top six, it's been quite the evening at Old Trafford!
Manchester United dug deep to win the game having been behind. Two second-half goals from Alejandro Garnacho sparked the comeback before Rasmus Hojlund scored his first ever Premier League goal in the 82nd minute and that was the all-important goal on the night.
United win with a memorable comeback on Boxing Day to move into the top six in the Premier League, while Villa miss an opportunity to go second in the table.
Manchester United win 3-2!
From two goals down, they come back to record a hard-fought victory at Old Trafford.
There's the full-time whistle!
We're now into the final 60 seconds.
United have a free in the corner as the clock runs down.
United are going to make a couple more changes.
Garnacho is down with cramp and guess who is over to help give him a good stretch? Villa keeper Emi Martínez.
There will be nine minutes of additional time!
This performance is like the United of old, coming back in the second half, all guns blazing. They've shown great belief and kept going despite being 2-0 down to one of the league's best sides.
Garnacho has been phenomenal for Manchester United.
Unai Emery is going to roll the dice, with Villa making some late changes.
What a turnaround!
Villa led 2-0 at the break and United have come back, scoring three second-half goals to go in front at home.
Bruno Fernandes sends the corner in from the right and it falls to Hojlund, who scores with a neat left-footed finish from 10 yards out.
Garnacho had a goal ruled out for offside in the 48th minute before he netted in the 59th minute and then again in the 71st minute.
Villa are about to make a couple of changes as they look to slow this game down. They have been under the cosh in the second half as United came racing back.
So it's 2-2 as we enter the final 15 minutes at Old Trafford. This could go either way, but it's United who currently have all the momentum.
Diego Carlos is booked for pulling Rasmus Hojlund back.
They have found the equaliser!
The ball falls to Garnacho centrally, 16 yards from goal, and he fires home with his left foot.
It's GARNACHO again!
Garnacho wins United a corner on the right. The home crowd is beginning to make noise.
Villa clear the corner.
Aston Villa lead 2-1 at Old Trafford but Manchester United are on the front foot and are looking for that equaliser. Garnacho and Rashford have both been dangerous. Can they find that second goal? They've struggled for goals all season. But maybe tonight is the night.
Diego Carlos pulls Rasmus Hojlund down in the box but play has been waved on and there is no penalty for Manchester United.
Garnacho!
The Argentina international shows great strength to knock Moreno off the ball before driving at Lenglet and getting in a 1v1. The resulting effort flies wide of Martínez's far post. Garnacho has been a bright spark and is leading the United charge.
Rashford crosses from the left and Garnacho is there at the far post to score first-time from close range. Manchester United are right back in this game!
Manchester United have scored the second fewest goals in the Premier League this season. Ten Hag's side have only managed to find the back of the net on 18 occasions. That's 18 goals in 19 games.
Just looking back at that Garnacho offside - it's extremely tight. 0-2
So it remains 2-0 to Aston Villa. That's a huge blow for Manchester United.
Garnacho's goal has been ruled out for OFFSIDE.
The wait goes on... it may be offside.
It's a superb team goal!
We're back underway for the second half!
There's the whistle for half-time!
Garnacho breaks through the middle but the linesman lifts his flag. The former Atlético Madrid academy player is offside.
There will be four minutes added on.
There have been plenty of whistles and boos from the home supporters, who are not happy with what they have witnessed in this first half at Old Trafford. The Villa fans continue to sing their songs in the away section.
Garnacho goes on a mazy run and prods it through to Rashford but there is too much weight on the through-ball.
Rashford is flagged for offside as United build down the left. 0-2
As it stands, Villa are second in the table, ahead of Arsenal in third.
Bruno Fernandes' corner from the left is headed away by Villa, who are leading 2-0 at Old Trafford if you've only just joined.
Manchester United have started playing since Aston Villa's second goal but scoring goals has been a major issue for Ten Hag's side this season.
Eriksen takes the United free from about 35 yards out, slightly to the right.
The free-kick goes straight into the Villa wall.
Garnacho is down after a challenge from behind from Villa left-back Digne.
Rashford!
The ball falls to Rashford just inside the Villa box... his low effort is saved by Martínez.
"Sacked in the morning" comes from the away section.
It's shocking defending from United, who are all ball-watching in the box.
Dendoncker doubles Villa's lead from a corner.
McGinn crosses to Lenglet at the back post, who heads across goal and Dendoncker taps home from close range.
The Villa captain's free bounces right beside Onana and hits the back of the net. Villa are ahead at Old Trafford!
McGinn's free-kick from the right evades everyone in the box and flies into the net.
Unai Emery continues to pace up and down the line, instructing his players and analysing every phase of play.
Douglas Luiz's corner from the left is headed away. It remains goalless at Old Trafford.
Possession
Man United - 47%
Aston Villa - 53%
Villa have been superb under Unai Emery this season and have made Villa Park a real fortress. There's a feelgood factor around the club this season and there has even been talk of a title race...
Eriksen!
The United midfielder strikes from 20 yards out but it's an easy one for Emi Martínez.
Edwin van der Sar is at Old Trafford - nice to see him return to live football after his health scare earlier this year.
Neither side has conjured up any early chances of note so far.
Manchester United have set up in a 4-1-4-1 formation.
Marcus Rashford has gotten the nod from Erik ten Hag and starts on the left of the home side's forward line.
Aston Villa come into this one in fine form but will have been disappointed to only draw at home to a struggling Sheffield United side on Friday.
Watkins is leading the line for Villa at Old Trafford.
We're underway at Old Trafford!
Manchester United are playing from left to right in red. Villa, in their away blue strip, play from right to left.
Here come the sides!
The players are in the tunnel ahead of kick-off.
Manchester United have gone 381 minutes without a league goal. Quite remarkable.
Rashford returns
Marcus Rashford is back in the Manchester United starting XI.
The England international has had a poor season to date and has scored no goals at Old Trafford since May.
Erik ten Hag said pre-match that Rashford will start on the left, which means Alejandro Garnacho will play on the right.
8th vs 3rd
Manchester United sit eighth in the table, while visitors Villa, having a superb season, a currently in third place.
United lost 2-0 to West Ham in their last league game. Villa come into this one off the back of a 1-1 draw at home to lowly Sheffield United.
John McGinn
The Villa captain has been in fine form for Emery's side this season, leading the way with his immense work rate and determination.
Kobbie Mainoo (18) | Manchester United
Mainoo has slotted into a defensive midfield role at the club with maturity beyond his years. The Stockport-born lad has been given the chance in midfield and has grabbed it with both hands, with excellent displays against Everton and Liverpool in particular.
Liverpool go top
Liverpool have just beaten Burnley at Turf Moor to go top of the Premier League. Arsenal will get the chance to restore their lead at the summit later this week.
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Remember when English top-flight games were played on Christmas Day? Most of us don’t, but it did happen once upon time. Since a 4-2 win for Blackpool over Blackburn Rovers in 1965, no fixtures have been played on 25 December, with Boxing Day instead taking centre stage over the festive period. The first matches played the day after Christmas were held in 1957 and have been a mainstay on the English calendar ever since, becoming one of the eagerly-anticipated rounds of the season, particularly since the creation of the Premier League in 1992.
For match-goers, it’s an opportunity to get together with like-minded supporters and a day out during the holidays. For armchair fans, it’s an excuse to pig out on leftover turkey, boxes of chocolate and enjoy a post-Christmas tipple in front of the television.
Ollie Watkins (27) | Aston Villa
Watkins is having a fine season for Villa. The English striker has netted 9 goals and registered 8 assists in 18 Premier League games this season. Manchester United's defenders will have their work cut out with the 27-year-old at Old Trafford.
Team news from both camps is on the way!
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According to a statement issued by Manchester United, the deal will see Jim Ratcliffe, who already owns French club Nice and Swiss side FC Lausanne-Sport, acquire 25% of Class B shares, which had been exclusively held by the Glazer family, along with up to 25% of Class A shares, which are traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
The 71-year-old, who was born in Greater Manchester and is a lifelong United, will also invest $300 million intended to help with the redevelopment of parts of Old Trafford, England’s biggest club ground which has been described as “tired” and “worn”.
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As happens every couple of years, clubs in most European countries will soon be lamenting the timing of the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, which will confusingly be played in 2024. The tournament will take place in the Ivory Coast between 13 January and 11 February, right in the middle domestic seasons across the continent. Some, including Premier League and Champions League holders Manchester City, will not be affected, while others, including Manchester United, will have their squads weakened for at least a few weeks.
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Erik ten Hag’s continuity as manager at Manchester United will not be the only important decision that Sir Jim Ratcliffe will have to make upon his arrival as the club’s new owner. The Premier League will take between six and eight weeks to ratify the purchase of a 25% stake in the club by the owner of INEOS, in exchange for £1.3 billion. The British magnate promises to turn the institution upside down - and that could include a major facelift of their historic Old Trafford stadium - the club’s home for over a century.
Boxing Day fixture
The tradition continues and we have more Boxing Day action to look forward to.
An in-form Aston Villa side make the trip to Manchester to take on a struggling United.
Manchester United vs Aston Villa: welcome!
Hello and welcome to AS USA's live coverage of this Premier League match between Manchester United and Aston Villa.
I'm Kieran Quaile and I'll be taking you through today's action from Old Trafford.