Summary

  • Man Utd come from 2-0 down to beat Aston Villa as Hojlund scores first Premier League goal

  • Garnacho netted twice after United had trailed at half-time

  • FT: Burnley 0-2 Liverpool - Nunez & Jota send Reds top of table

  • FT: Sheff Utd 2-3 Luton - two own goals give Hatters huge win at bottom of table

  • FT: Bournemouth 3-0 Fulham - Kluivert, Solanke & Sinisterra give Cherries resounding win

  • FT: Newcastle 1-3 Nottm Forest - Wood scores hat-trick against former club

  1. goal

    GOAL - Man Utd 1-2 Aston Villapublished at 21:19 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2023

    Alejandro Garnacho (58 mins)

    This time, surely?

    A perfect copy of Manchester United's disallowed goal. Bruno Fernandes wins the ball back on the halfway line, plays through Marcus Rashford who squares it to Alejandro Garnacho who has a tap-in.

    That's United's first goal in seven hours and twenty minutes. It's given. Game on!

    Garnacho runs off to celebrate and fist pumps to the crowd.Image source, Getty Images
  2. 'Martinez has to go for the ball, Rashford is in'published at 21:19 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2023

    Man Utd 0-2 Aston Villa

    Ally McCoist
    Former Rangers striker & manager on Amazon Prime

    I think the goalkeeper has to commit himself to go for the ball, because if not Rashford is through on goal.

    Certainly looks as though he catches Rashford, but in my opinion Martinez has to go for the ball there.

    Martinez flies itno a challenge on Rashford.Image source, Getty Images
  3. Postpublished at 57 mins

    Man Utd 0-2 Aston Villa

    Still Man Utd push. They're playing some decent stuff, you wonder why it took them going two-goals down to turn up.

    Bruno Fernandes gets half a yard and blasts a shot that Emi Martinez does well to keep out, diving to his right.

    Martinez is getting booed every time he touches the ball now.

  4. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 21:17 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2023

    #bbcfootball, text 81111 (UK only - standard rates apply) or WhatsApp 03301231826

    The players have to take some blame. Poor decision making constantly. That last goal shows we can play, just the last pass/run and its no goal.

    Lee, Manchester

    The theatre of screaming nightmares?

    Juan

  5. VAR

    Video Assistant Refereepublished at 55 mins

    Man Utd 0-2 Aston Villa

    Now then, Bruno Fernandes plays a ball over the top for Marcus Rashford and Emi Martinez races out of his box to clear.

    He gets the ball but wipes out Rashford with his follow through. VAR checks it and says no foul, and definitely no red card. It's a committed challenge, but Martinez clearly wins the ball. Good call.

  6. Postpublished at 54 mins

    Man Utd 0-2 Aston Villa

    The Manchester United players have seemed to have won back the Old Trafford support after that disallowed goal.

    Aston Villa are being very clever and are trying to take the sting out of the game.

    Ten Hag writes a note on the touchline.Image source, EPA
  7. SUBSTITUTIONpublished at 53 mins

    Man Utd 0-2 Aston Villa

    Aston Villa's Lucas Digne injured himself trying to slide back and clear Garnacho's shot off the line. He can't continue and is replaced by Alex Moreno.

  8. 'Does Garnacho need to be offside there?'published at 21:12 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2023

    Man Utd 0-2 Aston Villa

    Ally McCoist
    Former Rangers striker & manager on Amazon Prime

    Garnacho does not need to be offside there. Looking right across the line there he does not need to go early, so frustrating from United's point of view.

    Could Rashford have continued running forward with the ball himself? That is another debate, but although tight Garnacho was offside.

  9. Postpublished at 52 mins

    Man Utd 0-2 Aston Villa

    Just before Manchester United's disallowed goal by the way, defender Raphael Varane did brilliantly to head away a Villa cross from under his own crossbar with Ollie Watkins lurking behind him.

    Goal-saving stuff.

  10. DISALLOWED GOALpublished at 50 mins

    Man Utd 0-2 Aston Villa

    Alejandro Garnacho is offside when Marcus Rashford feeds him. Hardly anything in it!

  11. 'All about if Garnacho is ahead of Rashford when ball is played'published at 21:10 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2023

    Man Utd 1-2 Aston Villa

    Ally McCoist
    Former Rangers striker & manager on Amazon Prime

    Beautiful football, Dalot to Rashford and an excellent pass from him into Garnacho.

    It's going to be tight, if Garnacho is ahead of Rashford he is offside, simple as that.

    An excellent finish. Rounded the goalkeeper and slotted home calmly.

    Does he hold his line Garnacho? That is the only question.

  12. VAR

    Video Assistant Refereepublished at 21:10 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2023

    Man Utd 1-2 Aston Villa

    Hang on.

  13. goal

    GOAL - Man Utd 1-2 Aston Villapublished at 21:08 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2023

    Alejandro Garnacho (47 mins)

    Manchester United are back in it and it comes from a super move.

    United pass their way out of a corner before Bruno Fernandes feeds Marcus Rashford who has acres down the left. He plays in Alejandro Garnacho, completely free in the middle, who rounds Aston Villa keeper Emi Martinez and smashes it in.

    Garnacho rounds MArtinez to score.Image source, EPA
  14. Postpublished at 21:07 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2023

    Man Utd 0-2 Aston Villa

    If not the manager, then what needs to change? A new midfielder and a centre-back in January? Wait it out for players to return from injury?

    Man Utd seem so far away from Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa.

  15. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 21:06 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2023

    #bbcfootball, text 81111 (UK only - standard rates apply) or WhatsApp 03301231826

    This is so much worse and boring than any other manager for Utd. No clue no plan no identity anymore and no desire. It’s so bad. ETH needs to be moved on. The player don’t understand him and what he wants. So obvious. Sorry.

    James

    Roy Keane to the rescue please

    Dan

    I remember when United would bring world class players off the bench. I don’t think they can even start one now. The team itself is mediocre, the manager is out of his depth and the ownership is incompetent. The fans are grieving and you can see why.

    Nick, Kent

    Got to love the fans who come to the same cycle with each manager. Do well for a bit, bad form and results, sack the manager. Rinse and repeat. EtH is indeed making decisions many of us don't agree with, but he is definitely not the most pressing issue at the club.

    Carl, Durham

  16. KICK-OFFpublished at 45 mins

    Man Utd 0-2 Aston Villa

    And we're off.

  17. Postpublished at 21:05 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2023

    HT: Man Utd 0-2 Aston Villa

    We'll be back under way shortly.

    It's been over seven hours since Manchester United last scored a goal by the way.

    Aston Villa need five more goals to go top. You never know...

  18. 'Taking those chances is key'published at 21:04 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2023

    FT: Burnley 0-2 Liverpool

    Burnley

    Burnley manager Vincent Kompany speaking to BBC MOTD: "At this moment in time the key message is to be in games. The team keeps fighting and keeps being entertaining. We are facing a level where taking those chances are key. Today we are playing a top team and you can only have those moments if you take your chances.

    "I definitely think we were a little bit too exposed in the first half but I also felt we had opportunities to break and were dangerous but if they have chances they will score. In the second half we found the right balance where we had a chance in the last 15 minutes to push. In that moment it could have gone either way but we were playing a good team who had big chances."

    On James Trafford: "I've said it before, but England is very lucky to have a young goalkeeper like him to come through. We are very conscious that at some point we will pay the price for the fact he is still learning but he is learning very quickly. It's about how to handle yourself in this league. We had a few outstanding performances today."

    On home form: "Picking up points everywhere is important. We have been good away from home. Our fans have always been there for us. Today was nothing different. The reality is that we are struggling to pick up points at times. But belief is in those moments that we create and there is hard work behind the scenes to get to that point."

  19. 'Onana has to control the box better, be front-footed'published at 21:02 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2023

    HT: Man Utd 0-2 Aston Villa

    Eniola Aluko
    Former England forward on Amazon Prime

    I think Andre Onana should control the box better for the first goal. Any time a ball bounces in the box you have to look at your goalkeeper.

    There is a lot going on, some blocking, a great ball in from John McGinn, but he has to be more front footed there.

    As soon as the ball bounces you think could he have come and caught it and dispelled the danger?

    Onana wipes his face with his shirt after conceding the goal.Image source, PA Media
  20. 'A good first 45 minutes, but 2-0 down'published at 21:01 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2023

    HT: Man Utd 0-2 Aston Villa

    Patrice Evra
    Former Manchester United defender on Amazon Prime

    It's like Deja Vu.

    If you don't watch the game and just look at the result, Aston Villa 2-0 up you think, "Oh, here we go again."

    But actually before the game started we spoke about being clinical. Manchester United created enough chances to be winning the game, but at the last moment they make the wrong decisions.

    I cannot sit and say United are did not have a good first 45 minutes. They did have a good first half but in reality they are two nil down.