Manchester United produced a
rousing second-half display to
recover from two goals down and
snatch a famous win from a
breathless encounter at Villa Park.
The Premier League leaders found
themselves 2-0 behind after 50 minutes,
with Aston Villa's Andreas Weimann
striking either side of half-time.
The introduction of Javier Hernandez at
half-time changed everything, however.
Sandwiched by a Ron Vlaar own goal,
the United striker scored twice to
complete a remarkable turnaround.
Hernandez, who has now found the
net seven times in his last five matches,
was enveloped by his team-mates at
the final whistle after United's 14th
victory in their last 16 matches, a result
that leaves Sir Alex Ferguson's side four
points clear at the top of the table.
Incredibly, the Old Trafford club have
won 15 points from losing positions
this season. And yet these late United
comebacks retain something of a jack-
in-the-box quality. Everyone suspects
they are on the cards and yet still catch
their opponents by surprise. This was
no exception.
At 2-0 down, United had created for
themselves an utter mess. And yet
somehow they rose to find hope, and
with it, power and effectiveness to turn
around a lost match in seven
impossible minutes and finished the
job with three minutes of normal time
remaining.
It was tough on Villa after a brave
performance but history was always on
United's side. The last time United lost
here in the league was August 1995. On
that day Ferguson threw David
Beckham, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and
the Nevilles into the mix and Alan
Hansen had warned him he wouldn't
win anything with kids.
But it is Villa who are fielding the
fledglings these days - seven of
Lambert's side were 23 or younger,
including 22-year-old Enda Stevens who
made his full league debut.
United had all the experience. Scholes,
who started in that United team 17
years ago, turned in another vintage
midfield performance, sitting deep and
spraying his trademark laser-guided
passes to all corners of Villa Park. But
for all of United's possession they
lacked cohesion, confidence and
sustained threat for 50 minutes.
Villa were two goals to the good by the
time United woke from their slumber.
Weimann scored both to shake United
to their core.
First he found Benteke with a perfectly
measured ball down the left and, when
his strike partner pulled back a low
cross, thumped a fizzing drive past
David De Gea from 16 yards.
The interval did little to steady United as
Villa began where they had left off and
doubled their lead within four minutes.
Ireland swept the ball left for
Agbonlahor and the Villa forward's low
ball skidded across the six-yard line
where Weimann escaped Rio
Ferdinand's attention to sidefoot in.
Villa Park was rocking and yet somehow
United turned the match on its head.
Ferguson's decision to replace Ashley
Young with Hernandez at half-time
changed the game in seven second-half
minutes as United struck twice to level
the match from nowhere.
Scholes, in the centre circle, set
Hernandez scampering clear down the
inside-right channel, the ball became
caught under his feet in the box but in
a flash it was out again and rolling
beyond Guzan and into the back of the
net.
Vlaar was producing a towering
performance at the heart of the
defence, throwing his body and head
into the path of shots and crosses with
tremendous regularity as United
pushed and probed around the edge of
the penalty area. But even he was
powerless to prevent United's second
as Hernandez fired Rafael goalwards
and the volley deflected into the net off
the Dutchman.
Villa were visibly shaken. Rooney's long-
range shot was palmed clear by Guzan
while Robin Van Persie struck the
crossbar twice in one minute, first with
a thumping header and then a fierce
long-range shot.
Down at the other end, Barry Bannan -
one of many Villa players to impress -
found the head of Weimann with a
curling cross from deep and the
Austrian striker powered a header
straight at De Gea, who turned the ball
to safety with a brilliant reflex save.
But United would not be denied. Van
Persie curled a free-kick towards the far
post where Hernandez headed the ball
into the bottom-right corner with
unerring accuracy. Ferguson's clenched
fist at the final whistle said it all, United
had done it again.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex
Ferguson: "It was a magnificent result
and a magnificent game. Villa did
fantastic today, they ran their socks off.
We have to feel for them but we never
gave in. We hit the bar twice but it was
after the second goal we came alive,
and it was a fantastic game. I admire
the tenacity of the performance,
though. When they need to do it, they
do it."
Villa manager Paul Lambert: "We gave
it absolutely everything, we were
brilliant. I can't fault the team. We've
got lots of young lads in the team and
they were great. I can't ask for any
more from them.
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