ASTON VILLA stunned Man Utd to fight back from two goals down and earn a thrilling draw.
Bruno Fernandes was gifted the opener as Emi Martinez let a weak shot go through his legs, before the Portuguese playmaker smashed in off the bar in the second half.
Steven Gerrard gambled and brought on his new star man in Philippe Coutinho – and the former Liverpool forward was instrumental in the comeback.
Jacob Ramsey thundered in a leveller before Coutinho took control of the game, lashing in from close range to send Villa Park wild.
- Final score: Aston Villa 2-2 Man Utd
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Stevie pleased as punch
On landing his old Liverpool team-mate Philippe Coutinho, Gerrard was impressed and expects more to come soon.
He said: “It is a good start.
“We’ve brought a quality footballer to the club.
“We need to get him up to speed in terms of his match sharpness.”
Comeback kings
Gerrard loved how academy graduate Jacob ramsey inspired his side’s draw.
He said: “The two goals we scored were fantastic.
“The substitutions really brought something to the game, but second half, I thought JJ was outstanding.
“He really showed why a lot of people are talking about him right now.
“At 2-0 down, a young kid, a homegrown lad to go and take the game by the scruff of the neck was really pleasing.”
Half-time truths
Steven Gerrard made some serious statements at half time to his team.
He said: “The first goal was coming because we didn’t look right in that time. We improved slightly but certainly deserved to be trailing at the break.
“I had to tell a few home truths and the reaction was fantastic.
“We conceded against the run of play but didn’t feel sorry for ourselves, we continued to show character and believe.
“I’ve got no problem with people making mistakes because they are making mistakes trying to do the right things, but what I can’t accept is the first 25 minutes and how we played.”
Rang the changes
Ralf says: “Everyone in the team is disappointed because it is about getting results
“This does not feel like a point won, it felt like two given away”.
Keane says: “I think United might have taken an away draw before the game but, at 2-0 up, you will be disappointed.”
Ralf right down the line
Rangnick says: “We are extremely frustrated, it is hard to find positives. It felt like the best game since I came here, in the first 30 minutes.
“But there are are still lots we need to do better. e need to keep the impetus up and do better as a team.
“The plan was to press them in the mid-zone and we did that well.
“But it is hard to defend them all the time and we needed to do it better than in the lats 15 minutes. It feels like a defeat to be honest.”
Keane backing
Roy happy with the stand-in Man United captain.
Keane said “He scored two goals and showed composure, I liked a lot about his game.
“We can analyse a lot and he does a lot more good than bad.
“He can go back on the bus thnking ‘I have scored two goals and that is pretty good'”.
Firm Fernandes
He adds: “The performance was better than the result, we controlled more of the game.
“But the point is winning games. We deserved more but the game is not about what you deserve, it is about what you get.
“We have a lot to improve on, even if the performance was good.”
Frank Bruno
Fernandes says: “I think we had the perfect position to score more goals but then we did not take our chances.
“At the end we gave chances to them and they took them and they scored and drew.
“It is a tough one to take because it felt like the game was under control.”
Count me in
Coutinho has endured some tough times at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
But he reckons he is ready for the fight with Aston Villa and old team-mate Steven Gerrard.
He said: “There have been many ups and downs but that was in the past.
“I’m here to focus on the objective of the club, the manager and I want to do a good job to help my team-mates and the club.”
Roy of the Rovers
Roy Keane was happy with Bruno Fernandes’ second goal.
He said: “It was poor play from Villa but credit to United for punishing them.
“Mings should have come out and taken Fred out.
“But take nothing away from United and Fernandes, it was all about the first touch and then the finish.”
Keane on that
The no-nonsense Old Trafford legend says: “United were not quite at it, Cavani was poor and I was surprised he was left on for the whole game.
“It shows their shortcomings, the table does not lie.
“There are qualities but there are also weaknessses. United looked tired, a bit weak, the subs worked for Villa.”
Rambo saves the day
Jacob Ramsey is living every young footballer’s dream.
The youngster said: “I have scored three goals in the Prem now but the first couple were away.
“Coming through this academy and having the crowd singing your name is what dreams are made of.”
I was nervous
Villa’s super-signing reckons he was anxious before coming on to star.
Coutinho said: “I missed these games and the Premier League.
“I am very happy to be here and meet my new team-mates
It was a good start a good game, we kept believing we could win.
“We didn’t lose and we move on. I was a little bit nervous. I don’t speak English very well, I prefer to play than talk.”
Change the record
That result makes grim reading for Man United fans.
Manchester United failed to win a Premier League away game in which they led by 2+ goals for the first time since January 2016.
Villa 2 Man United 2
95 All over.
Ashley Young was stripped off and ready to replace Buendia but the playmaker recovers.
Van De Beek carves out a late chance for himself but Villa block and concede a corner.
Hause heads away the outswinger.
Martinez claims the next cross and Villa get the draw!
Villa 2 Man United 2
90 Coutinho twists and turns, Buendia teases the United defence.
Villa are forced back but they keep the ball.
Buendia is hurt now, on the floor clutching his face after a heavy Matic challenge.
Villa 2 Man United 2
89 Greenwood and Fernandes hooked now for Lingard and van de Beek.
Fred is penalised for a high tackle.
Villa keep surging forward with their home crowd behind them.
Villa 2 Man United 2
87 Coutinho has another shot on target.
Ramsey accidentally gets in his team-mate’s away.
Somehow there were no United players in sight to challenge the ex-Liverpool man so his new colleague did.
Villa 2 Man United 2
86 Villa could win this, with the momentum and buzz around the team and ground now.
United lose the ball again in the midfield and Villa try to pounce.
Watkins works hard but loses the ball but Villa keep on the front foot.
Buendia and Coutinho look like they are going to terrorise teams.
Villa 2 Man United 2
83 Buendia carved United apart with his ball from midfield.
Ramsey raced to the byline with skill and power.
And when he rolled it across the box the brilliant little playmaker was there to be the fox-in-the-box.
Villa 2 Man United 2
82 Amazing comeback for Villa as Countinho scores on his debut.
Brilliant from Buendia, class from Ramsey and Coutinho pokes home.
Villa 1 Man United 2
79 That is the least Villa deserve after all their chances and Ramsey has been a regular threat.
Coutinho had only been on the pitch a couple of minutes but he had no direct involvement.
Jadon Sancho is on the pitch no and his form has done nothing to suggest he will help his side cling on.
Villa 1 Man United 2
77 Ramsey smashes in a screamer!
Matty Cash races down the right wing and whips in a cross but Villa cannot convert.
The home side rebuilds and Fred accidentally tees up Ramsey to smash home from inside the box.
Villa 0 Man United 2
72 Bruno Fernandes has not played that well but he has two goals and the game in his grasp.
Villa have looked impressive in large spells but have nothing to show for it.
It’s a cruel, cruel game.
De Gea boots away a Villa shot before a ballooned cross goes out for a United goal-kick.
Villa 0 Man United 2
70 Fuming Sanson boots a couple of water bottles into the stand after getting hooked.
It was getting dragged for Coutinho that enraged him but the terrible error he produced to gift Man United their second goal.
*No water bottles were harmed in this mindless attack.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
