Manchester: In the space of 90 minutes, and in front of soon-to-be director Dave Brailsford, Old Trafford witnessed the best and worst of Erik ten Hag's team. Two days after confirmation that British billionaire Ratcliffe will buy a stake of up to 25% in the club, United trailed by two goals inside 26 minutes against Aston Villa and was booed by the home crowd on Tuesday. Ten Hag's players then produced a spectacular second-half comeback to win 3-2 and spark celebrations rarely seen at its famed stadium during a troubled season so far.
We said Keep going. Believe it, in ourselves.' That is what I demand from the team," Ten Hag said afterward. "We said it before the game and during halftime, Keep believing and we will win this game.'
Going into the game on the back of a run of four matches in all competitions without a win or a goal, United took to the field for the first time since Ratcliffe, one of Britain's richest people, secured an agreement worth around $1.6 billion to buy into the club he has supported from childhood. Brailsford is the director of sport for INEOS Sport, which Ratcliffe owns, and on Tuesday it was confirmed he will be a director of United once the deal is completed.
He got a taste of the sense of frustration among the 20-time league champions' fans - with United last winning the title in 2013 - and the animosity toward American owners the Glazer family, who put the club up for sale last year. Ratcliffe will take charge of soccer operations as part of his investment and Brailsford is expected to play a big part in a new structure.
In the match, Villa went ahead through first-half goals from John McGinn and Leander Dendoncker. Alejandro Garnacho sparked United's revival with two goals in the second half and Rasmus Hojlund scored his first league goal to win the game. Third-place Villa had been unbeaten in 10 games going into the match. United moved up to sixth place, three points behind defending champion Manchester City in fifth. City has played two fewer games than United.
Nunez ended a 12-game scoring drought to set up Jurgen Klopp's team for a 2-0 win against Burnley and overtake Arsenal in the standings in other match of the day. Liverpool moved two points clear of second-place Arsenal, which has a game in hand against West Ham on Thursday. Nunez curled a shot from distance beyond Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford in the sixth minute at Turf Moor, having failed to find the back of the net for his club since Nov. 1. Having drawn back-to-back league games against Manchester United and Arsenal, Liverpool failed to make the most of its dominance as it saw two goals disallowed and Mohamed Salah hit the bar. Substitute Diogo Jota eventually ended any concerns of a Burnley equalizer with a goal in the 90th.
In the game between Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, Chris Wood shined with a contribution of three goals and handed Nuno Esprito Santo his first win as Nottingham Forest manager. Wood, who joined Newcastle in January 2022 and was sold to Forest 18 months later, struck a hat trick in his team's 3-1 win in the Premier League at St. James' Park on Tuesday. Newcastle has now lost five of its last seven games in all competitions and has only had one win in the league during that run.
Luton registered their second consecutive victory in the league while beating Sheffield United by 3-2. Jack Robinson and Anis Ben Slimane put through their own net in the 77th and 81st minutes to hand 18th-place Luton the win that moved it to within a point of Everton in 17th. Alfie Doughty had given Luton a first-half lead in the 17th. Oliver McBurnie leveled in the 61st and Anel Ahmedhodzic put Sheffield United 2-1 up in the 69th. But the own-goals turned the game around as Luton followed up its 1-0 victory over Newcastle with another win.
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