Rasmus Hojlund's first Premier League goal secured a 3-2 win for Manchester United over Aston Villa after Alejandro Garnacho had scored a brace to claw their way back from two goals down in a breathless encounter on Wednesday (NZ time).
Erik ten Hag's team, who had fans booing them off the Old Trafford pitch at halftime, climbed to sixth in the standings on 31 points, while Villa, who lost for the first time in 11 games in all competitions, are third with 39.
After 1,027 minutes, Hojlund finally ended his league goal drought in the 82nd when a United corner bounced off John McGinn's knee and fell to the Dane. The 20-year-old swiped it in off the post and a few minutes later left the game to a standing ovation.
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McGinn scored for Villa in the 21st minute from a long free kick that sailed past several players and into the bottom left corner. Leander Dendoncker doubled their lead five minutes later from close range when an unmarked Clement Lenglet headed a corner kick back across goal.
United appeared headed for their ninth defeat in 19 league games before Garnacho netted his first in the 59th minute with a fierce shot from the centre of the box. He equalised for the hosts in the 71st after a give-and-go with Bruno Fernandes.
Earlier, Liverpool returned to the top of the Premier League as Darwin Nunez's first league goal for almost two months helped them to a 2-0 victory at struggling Burnley.
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool shoots at goal.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Nunez's precision finish after six minutes gave Liverpool a flying start at Turf Moor but Juergen Klopp's side were unable to kill off the hosts as the second goal would not come.
Mohamed Salah was denied by the crossbar and both Cody Gakpo and Harvey Elliott had goals disallowed as Burnley hung on but Diogo Jota's 90th-minute effort sealed the points.
Nineteenth-placed Burnley had chances of their own in the second half and almost snatched an equaliser when Jacob Bruun Larsen's shot went agonisingly wide of the post.
Liverpool's first win in three league games moved them above Arsenal as they reached the halfway point of the season on 42 points. Arsenal, who have 40, host West Ham United on Friday.
In other results, Kiwi Chris Wood bagged a hat-trick to power Nottingham Forest's upset win over Newcastle, while Bournemouth crushed Fulham 3-0 and Luton Town edged Sheffield United 3-2.
Reuters.
