Manchester United vs Aston Villa Premier League match, Digi Mart USA News: Does this late, late comeback draw keep Michael Carrick in his job? He urged United to back Tuesday’s breathless Roma comeback victory by building momentum, and they did, kind of, by avoiding defeat.
Patrick Dorgu’s 96th-minute equalizer went off his head and in, making it 4-4 after Joshua Zirkzee’s own added-time finish, as Aston Villa were somehow pulled back by Carrick’s chaotic unit. Referee Chris Kavanagh soon blew the whistle for time, but not before further bedlam as he sent off what appeared to be a member of Villa’s technical staff.
Before all of this, Senne Lammens, twice, Diogo Dalot and Leny Yoro were among United’s rearguard culpable for Villa’s goals. Alysson scored after just 48 seconds, and Nicolas Jackson netted after four minutes.
Both goals were attributed to errors by Lammens.
After a rousing first-half comeback to make it 2-2 through Bruno Fernandes and Youri Tielemans, Dalot’s chop on Alysson two minutes into the second half conceded the season’s clearest penalty, which John McGinn scored. Further farce followed when Yoro’s own header from McGinn’s free-kick led to Leon Goretzka’s fourth goal for Unai Emery’s impressive team.
United have still won only three games all season from 15, and only one of those in the league, back on August 30, when Ipswich were beaten 5-2. Carrick may well cling on because Jason Wilcox has been reluctant to fire the manager so far, yet United enter the international break in 18th place.
Earlier in the day, United were briefly bottom of the table for two minutes and 46 seconds, when Sunderland went 1-0 up against Chelsea and Liverpool scored at Crystal Palace. Fan hostility toward the owners was on display in a message displayed in the Stretford End to the Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe: “Your funeral not ours, sell up.”
Villa’s start was professional, while United’s was amateurish: Alysson’s shot went through Lammens’ legs. United’s No. 1 was again at fault when Alysson’s effort went to his left, and instead of pushing the ball away he teed it up for Jackson, who smashed in.
United then mounted a charge. Cunha made a powerful run into the area and was upended by Boubacar Kamara.
Kavanagh awarded a penalty, and Fernandes converted it, with Suzuki guessing the wrong way, 16 minutes in. United dominated the following passage, with Fernandes, Cunha and Tielemans all troubling the Villa goal.
Tielemans’ equalizer arrived when Noussair Mazraoui’s cross found him and he beat Suzuki, making the contest all square at the interval after a breakneck first half.
In the second half, Dalot’s trip on Alysson gave Villa a penalty, which McGinn converted to make it 3-2. Goretzka then bundled in after a deflection off the goal frame from McGinn’s free-kick, making it 4-2.
Shea Lacey, Dorgu and Mason Mount were introduced in a triple change on 65 minutes. Zirkzee’s added-time finish and Dorgu’s late equalizer gave United a point, with the match finishing 4-4.
Villa’s supporters had taunted Carrick with “sacked in the morning,” and whether that proves prescient remains to be seen. The smart money would say not.
