Premier League: Man United fight back to beat Villa; Liverpool go top after win over Burnley
Rasmus Hojlund capped Manchester United’s thrilling fightback from two goals down as the Denmark striker netted for the first time in the Premier League to seal a dramatic 3-2 win against Aston Villa on Tuesday.
Liverpool climbed to the top of the Premier League as Darwin Nunez ended his goal drought to inspire a 2-0 win against Burnley, while Chris Wood’s hat-trick against his old club Newcastle gave Nuno Espirito Santo his first victory as Nottingham Forest boss on Tuesday.
Erik ten Hag’s side were in danger of another damaging defeat when goals from John McGinn and Leander Dendoncker put Villa in control by half-time at Old Trafford.
United were booed off at the interval but they staged a much-needed revival, sparked by Alejandro Garnacho scoring their first goal in seven hours and twenty minutes.
Garnacho struck again to equalise before Hojlund finally ended his goal drought with eight minutes left.
It was Hojlund’s maiden league goal for United in his 15th appearance and his sixth in all competitions since his August move from Atalanta.
Hojlund’s cathartic strike ended United’s four-match winless run in all competitions and lifted them to sixth in the Premier League.
Two games without a win have dented Villa’s unexpected title challenge.
Unai Emery’s men remain third, three points behind leaders Liverpool after their first defeat in 11 matches in all competitions.
United’s dismal 2-0 loss at West Ham had left them with 13 defeats in all competitions this term, their most before Christmas since 1930.
Liverpool took an early lead through Nunez at Turf Moor and held on despite wasting a host of chances.
Nunez’s eighth goal this season was his first for 12 games since he netted against Bournemouth in the League Cup on 1 November.
Diogo Jota, back from a month’s injury absence, wrapped up the victory late on to leave Liverpool two points above second-placed Arsenal, who have a game in hand.
After successive draws with Manchester United and Arsenal prior to Christmas, this was an essential victory for Liverpool’s title ambitions.
Wood left Newcastle to join Forest in a £15 million ($19 million) deal in June, but had scored only four times for his new club.
The 32-year-old New Zealand international managed just two league goals for Newcastle last term, but he surpassed that meagre total with a treble in 60 minutes at St James’ Park.
Alexander Isak’s first-half penalty put Newcastle ahead, but Wood equalised just before the break.
He struck twice more in the second half to hand former Tottenham manager Nuno his maiden victory with Forest in his second game in charge after replacing the sacked Steve Cooper.
