Our reporter Michael Plant gives his thoughts following Manchester United's comeback 3-2 win over Aston Villa in the Premier League on Boxing Day.
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00:00 It's Michael Plant coming to you from outside Wood Trafford after an incredible game tonight
00:04 in the Premier League with Manchester United coming from two goals down to win 3-2 against
00:08 Aston Villa. At half time I really didn't think that was going to be the case. United
00:12 were booed off by the home fans and a really abject opening 45 minutes but remarkably their
00:17 second half comeback was just unbelievable really the way they put Villa to the sword.
00:22 Villa aside, obviously flying high in the Premier League, playing so well Unai Emery
00:26 side but United absolutely brought them to the cleaners really in terms of their attack
00:30 and display, in terms of how they created repeated attacks in the wide areas through
00:35 long balls, really took advantage of Villa's high line and Alejandro Garnaciu got two goals
00:40 to get Villa back on level terms. He previously had one disalliver offside, correctly so and
00:46 then who pops up with a winner? Rasmus Hoyland. I think if Manchester United fans could have
00:50 wrote a Christmas script before the game that would have been the outcome with Deane who
00:54 is yet to score after his summer move from Atalanta, grabbing the winning goal. He was
00:58 absolutely ecstatic, you could see from his reaction just how much that meant. Eric ten
01:02 Haag said post-match that he's had to have a lot of conversations with him about believing
01:06 in himself and about knowing his ability and he was just absolutely over the moon with
01:11 that goal. As for United fans as well, listen it's been a huge week for the club given everything
01:16 that was going on. Sir Dave Brelsford of Ineos, the Ineos Director of Sport, he was in the
01:20 crowd today watching on. Who knows what he was thinking at half time. I saw him at the
01:24 start of the second half, or at half time, having a conversation with David Gill and
01:28 I thought to myself, "Got to be a fly on the wall in that conversation." And then at the
01:32 end, he must come away thinking, "Is it like this every week? Is it this buoyant and this
01:37 upbeat?" But it was just in that second half, United, there have been a lot of questions
01:41 about United's attack and displace, about their ability to score goals, create enough
01:46 chances and take those chances as well. I mean, after the West Ham game, all those stats
01:50 about the number of goals that their attackers have scored, well, tonight they managed three
01:54 between them as well. Previously four before tonight's display. But I think for United
01:58 now, they've just got to kick on. It's great when they play like this once. They've got
02:01 to make this a thing that they go away to Nottingham Forest and win and play with the
02:06 same style and the same substance because that's what's been lacking recently. I spoke
02:10 after the game at Anfield when they drew nil-nil and thought, "They've got to go and do this
02:15 again," and they are so comfortably beaten by West Ham. But they've got to enjoy tonight
02:18 because there have been so many disappointing displays. But I think overall, tonight actually,
02:22 defensively and offensively combined, was the best performance of the season, actually
02:27 because United only conceded two goals. Both of them were from set pieces and actually
02:30 Villa, who have played so well this season, actually offered very little. And that was
02:33 partly down to United. I thought defensively they were really good. Jonny Evans, Aramond
02:37 Bissaka, Raphael Varane, I thought they were really good defensively, give so little away.
02:40 Diogo Dalo had a few moments up against Leon Biele, but other than that, it was really
02:44 good. Interestingly as well, Kobi Mianu and Christian Eriksen coming into midfield, they
02:50 helped United keep the ball a little bit. I think they were definitely benefited from
02:52 Villa and their inability to play, keep possession, and actually the really high line as well.
02:57 As I mentioned, they benefited as well. Actually, Villa really, in the second half, barely created
03:01 anything. Had one chance of note that Andre Anana saved, although the goalkeeper will
03:05 once again be disappointed. Did he give away two goals? Certainly the first one was a real
03:09 mistake from him. A long free kick from John McGinn that no one touched and it ended up
03:13 just floating right into the back post and he ended up conceding. That was disappointing
03:17 certainly from his perspective. But overall, as I say, a great night for Manchester United.
03:21 Good night as well. Marcus Rashford playing well as well. He struggled of late, but he
03:24 was really good in the left and created a couple of openings, set up the first goal
03:28 as well, provided an assist, and also for the disallowed goal, he set that up. But as
03:32 I say, it was disallowed correctly by VAR for offside. I'm repeating myself now at this
03:37 stage, but as I say, overall, really, really good night for Manchester United. One they'll
03:39 enjoy and one they should enjoy because they've had some really disappointing nights, but
03:43 the big thing now to kick on is to repeat that performance defensively, offensively,
03:47 and still provide the same threat in the city ground in a couple of days' time.