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| A brace from Alejandro Garnacho and a game-winning goal from Rasmus Højlund helped Manchester United achieve a 3-2 comeback win over Aston Villa. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images) |
MANCHESTER, England -- Manchester United's new era began with a reminder that there are big problems at Old Trafford but ended with hope that the future might be bright after all.
In their first game since the announcement that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos have agreed a deal to buy a 25% stake in the club and assume control of all football matters, United went 2-0 down against Aston Villa before mounting a stunning comeback to win 3-2 thanks to two youngsters: Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Højlund.
Garnacho, 19, scored twice, and Hojlund, 20, got his first Premier League goal since his summer move from Atalanta to hand Erik ten Hag's team their first win in five games. It was a timely boost for the Dutch manager with Ratcliffe's sporting guru, Sir Dave Brailsford, sitting in the stands for the first time. Brailsford, director of sport at Ineos, will form part of the team tasked with transforming United's fortunes, and Ten Hag at least proved there's life in his managerial reign yet.
The first question in his postmatch news conference was what he thought Brailsford would have made of his night at Old Trafford. "I don't know," he said. "You will have to ask them. I don't think it has had an impact on the players. For me, I was kept informed in the whole process, so I knew what was going on.
