Manchester United 4-4 Aston Villa: Remarkable comeback gives Carrick valuable point

Patrick Dorgu equalized in the 96th minute Manchester United twice came from two goals down to earn a remarkable 4-4 draw with Aston Villa this could keep Michael Carrick in a job.

United produced a thrilling comeback in midweek to give their under-pressure manager a much-needed win as they came back from 2-0 down to beat Roma 3-2 in the Champions League.

And that same resilience permeated a United performance in which the defensive failings that have heaped so much pressure on Carrick were on full display.

Villa were 2-0 up inside four minutes through Alysson and Nicolas Jackson, but that lead was erased by a Bruno Fernandes penalty and Youri Tielemans strike against his former club.

But after the break, United capitulated again, John McGinn restoring VIlla’s lead from the penalty spot before Leon Goretzka headed home a terrible error from Lenny Yoro.

It looked like it would be enough to give Villa a first win at Old Trafford since 2021, but Joshua Zirkzee gave United hope in the 92nd minute with a brilliant finish.

And Zion Suzki’s poor goal allowed Dorgu to head into an empty net from a corner, earning United a point and giving the club’s hierarchy a difficult decision to make regarding Carrick’s future.

United is in third place in the standings Premier League table with just eight points from 10 games and only Sunderland and Crystal Palace propped them up. The Red Devils visit Liverpool after the break but, despite another spirited fightback, it remains questionable whether Carrick will be in the dugout for this game.

Alysson opened the scoring after just 59 seconds when he slotted through the legs of Senne Lammens at the far post.

Jackson was then presented with a simple task to make it 2-0, firing in the rebound from close range after Lammens spilled a relatively tame Alysson shot.

With the goal scored after three minutes and 40 seconds, the one that scored the first United have lost 2-0 in the Premier League.

However, Villa were underwhelming after doubling their lead and United pulled one back from the spot, Fernandes nonchalantly converting after Matheus Cunha was hacked down by Boubacar Kamara.

Cunha was then denied when Suzuki turned his curling effort onto the post, and Fernandes hit the post before drawing another fine save from the Villa keeper.

The impressive Amad Diallo saw a shot deflected wide before slotting another just wide and it looked as though Villa would survive until the break with their lead intact when Suzuki kept another Diallo effort out of the far corner.

But it was Tielemans who restored parity, meeting Noussair Mazraoui’s pull-back with a low shot that proved strong for Suzuki, which was not seen by Bryan Mbeumo, although the United striker remained in a playable position.

Alysson spurned a great chance to put Villa back in front just before half-time but, after Dalot hooked him two minutes into the second half, McGinn stepped up to send Lammens the wrong way.

And Villa restored their two-goal lead when Yoro headed against his own bar from a free-kick, the ball falling kindly for Goretzka to latch onto from distance.

Villa seemed to be managing the game perfectly, with United offering little threat for much of the second half, during which the home fans seemed resigned to defeat, with Mason Mount unable to raise their spirits as he rattled the crossbar.

Zirkzee was an unlikely source of belief for United though, the Dutchman halving the deficit with an early goal from Dorgu’s low delivery.

And Dorgu, returning from a thigh injury, provided an even greater demonstration of his worth when he then turned in from Fernandes’ corner, Suzuki guilty of another error as he tried to claim a delivery that never looked likely to be claimed, his protests proving futile as VAR ruled he had not been fouled by a United player as he tried to collect.

Furious Villa boss Unai Emery raced down the tunnel as a seemingly bewildered Carrick was cheered on by the United fans who stayed behind to watch the unlikely counter-attack. Even with this latest show of spirit, it remains a distinct possibility that the lap of honor will be his last as United boss.

Premier League table

Upcoming matches between Manchester United and Aston Villa