Aston Villa vs Manchester United LIVE: Premier League result and final score after Philippe Coutinho equaliser
Follow the reaction as Aston Villa claimed a sensational point against Manchester United
Follow live reaction as Philippe Coutinho scored the equalising goal on his Aston Villa debut to secure a 2-2 draw with Manchester United in the Premier League. United looked set to claim their second win over Steven Gerrard’s side in a week but Coutinho’s introduction changed the game as he set one up and scored another to complete a wild comeback at Villa Park.
Just five days on from knocking Villa out of the FA Cup at Old Trafford, United were handed an early lead as goalkeeper Emi Martinez allowed a Fernandes shot from range through his legs. Villa responded well and David de Gea was forced into a couple of important stops at the other end, and it was the hosts who were on top when Fernandes added his second on 67 minutes.
It came just as Villa were preparing to bring on Coutinho, and the Brazilian had a hand in the hosts pulling a goal back as Jacob Ramsey fired a finish past De Gea with 15 minutes left to play. Coutinho then finished Ramsey’s cross from close range to complete the comeback.
Follow all the reaction to Aston Villa vs Manchester United below:
Aston Villa vs Man Utd: Ralf Rangnick wants Manchester United players to hold each other to account
Ralf Rangnick has encouraged Manchester United’s players to hold each other to account after Cristiano Ronaldo warned their poor season will continue if their mentality does not improve.
Having edged past Aston Villa 1-0 in the FA Cup third round on Monday, the sides will go toe-to-toe once again in the Premier League on Saturday evening.
United enter the weekend seventh in the standings after things unravelled following a positive summer in which Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Ronaldo arrived.
Ralf Rangnick wants Manchester United players to hold each other to account
The interim manager has encouraged senior stars like Cristiano Ronaldo to speak out.
Aston Villa vs Man Utd
Will we see Philippe Coutinho today?
Coutinho was directly involved in 77 goals in 152 Premier League matches for Liverpool between 2013-17, scoring 41 and setting up 36.
He scored on his most recent competitive appearance against Manchester United, in Barcelona’s 3-0 Champions League quarter-final home victory in April 2019.
Aston Villa vs Man Utd
Bruno Fernandes has gone 12 away appearances without a goal for United since he scored a penalty in a 3-1 Premier League win at Villa Park last May.
Aston Villa vs Man Utd
Aston Villa are one of three clubs to have scored in all of their Premier League home games this season, alongside Liverpool and West Ham.
None of Villa’s last 16 Premier League games have ended level (W6 L10), with the Villans last having a longer run without a league draw between September 1964 and April 1965 (29 games).
Aston Villa vs Man Utd
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored eight goals in nine league starts versus Aston Villa. January is his most productive month, with 60 goals in 74 career league appearances but he’s not in Manchester United’s squad today.
Elsewhere in the Premier League
The three matches that kicked off at 3pm have all finished. Joao Pedro rescued a point for Watford at St. James’ Park (1-1), Norwich held out to defeat Rafa Benitez’s Everton (2-1) and Wolves have swept aside Southampton (3-1).
What does that do to the Premier League table? Wolves are up to eighth and level on points with Manchester United. Norwich are off the bottom of the table and have leapfrogged Burnley and Newcastle. Meanwhile Watford remain a one above the drop zone after their draw with the Magpies.
Aston Villa vs Man Utd
Manchester United could lose their opening two league games of a calendar year for the first time since 1985 after losing to Wolves on January 3rd. They have equalled the club record of six Premier League defeats at the halfway stage of a season, previously set in 2001-02.
United have also dropped points in four of their last six away league matches.
Aston Villa vs Man Utd
Aston Villa have lost 10 of their last 14 competitive fixtures, including the last three in a row. Their total of 21 Premier League home defeats since returning to the top flight in 2019 is the most of any club.
They could go 17 top-flight matches without a draw for the first time since a run of 29 between September 1964 and April 1965.
Aston Villa vs Man Utd: Rangnick on Aston Villa
Manchester United interim boss, Ralf Rangnick, spoke about what he learned from Monday night’s FA Cup match in which Manchester United won 1-0 at Old Trafford. Rangnick said:
Well they played as we expected them to play. They’re a very flexible, versatile team with a lot of rotation during the game between their full-backs and their eights.
“We were prepared for that and I think we coped quite well with that. At times we had problems to control their second and third striker up front and, in the second half, I think that got a lot better and we controlled the game in the last 20-25 minutes.
“Now it’s about taking the next steps in the away game. Always being dangerous ourselves when we’re in possession of the ball, not have too many giveaway balls when we’re on the counter-attack. Make use of the spaces that were also there in the home game against Villa. This is what we’re all about.”
Aston Villa vs Man Utd: Manchester United’s best hope of a top four finish? This is a slow Champions League race
You would think that after signing the Champions League’s all-time leading goalscorer, a four-time winner with Real Madrid and a 21-year-old prodigy who has played in its knockout stages twice already, Manchester United would be well on their way to achieving a top-four finish by now.
If only it were so simple.
Manchester United’s best hope of top-four? This is a slow Champions League race
Ready, steady, slow: Is this the lowest-quality top four race in recent memory, or did we just have something of a false start?
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments