‘Baby smile assassin’ kills vibrant Villa
12 Nov 2012 5:46 AM IST
Half-time substitute Javier Hernandez scored twice and made another as Manchester United came from two goals down to win 3-2 at Aston Villa on Saturday and pull four points clear in the Premier League.
A brace of goals from Andreas Weimann looked set to condemn United to their third loss of the season, but Hernandez pulled one back and then set up an own goal by Ron Vlaar before heading home a sensational 87th-minute winner.
The result gives United a four-point lead over second-placed Chelsea, who host Liverpool on Sunday, with champions Manchester City a point further back ahead of Tottenham Hotspur’s visit.
Villa more than held their own in the opening 45 minutes at Villa Park, and they took the lead in first-half injury time.
Christian Benteke resisted Chris Smalling’s attentions wide on the Villa left before cutting the ball back to Weimann, who placed a first-time shot into the roof of the net from just inside the penalty box.
Hernandez replaced Ashley Young at the interval but Weimann struck again five minutes into the second half, slamming in from close range after Gabriel Agbonlahor got free down the left.
United hit back quickly though, with Hernandez to the fore.The Mexican finished between Brad Guzan’s legs in the 58th minute to claim his sixth goal in six appearances, before seeing a volley turned home by Villa defender Vlaar to give the away side a 63rd-minute equaliser.
David de Gea denied Weimann a hat-trick with a smart save from the Austrian forward’s header, while Robin van Persie hit the bar twice, before Hernandez capped another trademark United comeback by converting van Persie’s free-kick. The latter was twice denied by the woodwork earlier.
A brace of goals from Andreas Weimann looked set to condemn United to their third loss of the season, but Hernandez pulled one back and then set up an own goal by Ron Vlaar before heading home a sensational 87th-minute winner.
The result gives United a four-point lead over second-placed Chelsea, who host Liverpool on Sunday, with champions Manchester City a point further back ahead of Tottenham Hotspur’s visit.
Villa more than held their own in the opening 45 minutes at Villa Park, and they took the lead in first-half injury time.
Christian Benteke resisted Chris Smalling’s attentions wide on the Villa left before cutting the ball back to Weimann, who placed a first-time shot into the roof of the net from just inside the penalty box.
Hernandez replaced Ashley Young at the interval but Weimann struck again five minutes into the second half, slamming in from close range after Gabriel Agbonlahor got free down the left.
United hit back quickly though, with Hernandez to the fore.The Mexican finished between Brad Guzan’s legs in the 58th minute to claim his sixth goal in six appearances, before seeing a volley turned home by Villa defender Vlaar to give the away side a 63rd-minute equaliser.
David de Gea denied Weimann a hat-trick with a smart save from the Austrian forward’s header, while Robin van Persie hit the bar twice, before Hernandez capped another trademark United comeback by converting van Persie’s free-kick. The latter was twice denied by the woodwork earlier.
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