Manchester United 4-4 Aston Villa: result and report

The Pundit picked Manchester United (42%): wrong

Report

Manchester United twice came back from two goals down to draw 4-4 with Aston Villa at Old Trafford. The equaliser arrived in the sixth minute of added time. Villa scored four from very few shots, but United created more of the game, so a point was the least their attacking play deserved.

How the goals went

Villa scored twice inside four minutes. Alysson finished from John McGinn's pass in the first minute, and Nicolas Jackson added a second. Bruno Fernandes pulled one back from the penalty spot on 16 minutes. Youri Tielemans then levelled on 44 minutes, set up by Noussair Mazraoui.

The second half started the same way, though. McGinn scored a penalty on 48 minutes, and Leon Goretzka made it 4-2 five minutes later from Jackson's pass. United still found answers. Joshua Zirkzee scored from Patrick Dorgu's assist in the second minute of added time. Dorgu then equalised four minutes later, with Bruno Fernandes providing the pass.

Manchester United: more chances, less return

The chance evidence backs United's late push rather than treating it as luck. They had 18 shots to Villa's eight, nine on target to six and 20 key passes to nine. United finished on a little over 3 xG, while Villa finished just under 3. United also created six big chances to Villa's five, and their average pressure was more than double Villa's across the match.

Bruno Fernandes was named player of the match after his penalty and the assist for the equaliser. United's problem was at the other end, because they conceded four times from only eight Villa shots.

Aston Villa: sharp, then stretched

Villa made the most of the chances they had. Their xG came close to United's despite having less than half the shots. United also needed only three saves from their goalkeeper, while Villa's had to make five.

That sharpness did not stop Villa spending long spells defending. United had 82 dangerous attacks to Villa's 33, and Villa twice gave up a two-goal lead. Manchester United and Aston Villa each hit the woodwork once, so neither side can claim it was the unlucky one.