Rasmus Hojlund’s inaugural goal for Manchester United signals the dawn of a fresh era in their victory over Aston Villa
Manchester United’s Dramatic Turnaround Against Aston Villa
In a stunning Premier League match against Aston Villa, Manchester United found themselves in a precarious position. Two goals down and their supporters growing increasingly restless, the halftime break presented an opportunity for manager Erik ten Hag to deliver a symbolic message to his team.
“Keep believing and we will win,” Ten Hag exclaimed during his halftime talk.
The significance of this statement became even more apparent when Rasmus Hojlund scored the winning goal, propelling his team to an exhilarating victory. This triumph served as a reminder of the club’s ambitions under new owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, especially considering that it was witnessed by esteemed guests such as Sir Dave Brailsford and Jean-Claude Blanc who will soon join the football club board following Ratcliffe’s confirmed purchase in six-to-eight weeks’ time.
Ten Hag remained humble when asked about Brailsford’s opinion on their performance, stating “I don’t know. You’ll have to ask them.” However, he expressed confidence before the game that they were competitive with top clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool, affirming that if they played at their best they could overcome any opponent.
During one particular moment in the first half, frustration erupted from a home supporter seated close to Brailsford as Hojlund failed to connect with Alejandro Garnacho’s low cross. The young Danish striker had been struggling since his £64m move from Atalanta in Serie A – yet Ten Hag never lost faith in him.
Hojlund persevered despite not scoring throughout most of his domestic games for Manchester United. Then came Bruno Fernandes’ 82nd-minute corner which found its way towards him after being flicked on by Jonny Evans and stabbed in his direction by Villa captain John McGinn. Hojlund reacted with lightning speed, lashing the loose ball into the net from eight yards.
His relief was palpable as he sprinted towards the corner flag, quickly engulfed by jubilant teammates. Even goalkeeper Andre Onana dashed across the field to join in their celebration.
Ten Hag recounted how he had multiple conversations with Hojlund, reminding him of his past successes for Denmark and in the Champions League. He emphasized that belief and perseverance were key qualities for a striker, assuring that as long as Hojlund continued to invest effort, more goals would come.
Former Newcastle forward Alan Shearer acknowledged the significance of this goal for Hojlund’s career, suggesting that it could be a turning point: “He’s had to endure both fair and unfair criticisms due to a lack of service. Scoring goals can make all the difference for forwards – this should be fantastic for him.”