United staged a late fightback at Villa Park to earn a point after going two goals down to a relatively inexperienced Aston Villa side.
Gerard Houllier’s young men had taken the lead through Ashley Young and Marc Albrighton, but Reds substitute Federico Macheda gave United hope on 81 minutes before Nemanja Vidic headed home a vital equaliser with five minutes to go.
Much had been made of United’s selection problems in the build-up to the game, but Villa were equally hampered by injury and illness with as many as 10 regular first-teamers unavailable. Sir Alex made two changes to the side that earned a point at Eastlands, with Wes Brown coming in for the injured Rafael and Javier Hernandez adding weight to United’s attack, which was without the services of the suspended Paul Scholes.
Gerard Houllier, meanwhile, was forced to call upon a number of his burgeoning, yet inexperienced, youngsters to fill the squad – four of his squad had played in the Reserves’ play-off final against United last May at Old Trafford. The Midlanders still posed a big threat up front, though, with Ashley Young alongside the fit-again Gabriel Agbonlahor, who was back in the starting line-up for the first time in almost two months.
Despite having not lost a league game for 15 years at Villa Park, the Reds had been forced to settle for a point on the last two visits. With Chelsea already holding a mini advantage at the top of the table, Sir Alex’s men knew only three points would do this time round and the visitors set about the task with real eagerness. While United were dominant in possessionearly on, Villa’s young team weren't about to be rolled over and they did their utmost to match the Reds' energy and endeavour during a somewhat scrappy first half.
United's backline was relieved to see a couple of fizzing centres from the lively Marc Albrighton and Stewart Downing come to nothing in the opening quarter of the game, but soon after the Reds almost made Villa pay for a lapse in concentration at the other end. Michael Carrick intercepted a poor pass from James Collins and found the onrushing Chicharito, who in turn slotted a lovely ball through to Dimitar Berbatov, but the Bulgarian fired wide.
United continued to look for the opening, but like in the derby against City in midweek the final ball let the Reds down. Apart from half chances for Wes Brown and Carrick, Brad Friedel was relatively comfortable in the opening period. His opposite number, meanwhile, was a little busier than the Reds would have liked, saving low to his right from Ashley Young just after the half hour and breathing a sigh of relief a couple of minutes before the break when Downing’s curling effort was deflected wide off Rio Ferdinand.
Having finished the half on top, Villa began the second in much the same vein. A flowing move early on saw Agbonlahor muscled off the ball by Vidic as he looked to meet Albrighton’s fine cross with his head. A minute or so later, the ever-eager Albrighton blasted into the side-netting as Villa had United flapping at the back.
While the Reds were struggling to find rhythm, Houllier’s men were visibly growing in confidence andthey almost went ahead on 54 minutes. Downing powered past Brown down the left before whipping a dangerous cross towards the back post where Albrighton was waiting. Thankfully for United, the winger’s guided header dropped just wide of van der Sar’s far post.
The Villans went even closer, in quick succession, not long after the hour. Having come up for a corner, which was initially cleared, James Collins headed Downing’s cross against the bar, before Agbonlahor smacked van der Sar’s right-hand post after following up Young’s blocked effort.
Villa were now totally on top and the breakthrough they had been threatening duly arrived on 72 minutes. Agbonlahor latched onto a long ball forward before turning inside to cross towards Young who was pushed to the ground inside the area by Brown. Mike Dean had no qualms in pointing to the spot and Young dusted himself down to send van der Sar the wrong way.
Things got worse for United four minutes later when Albrighton doubled the advantage. Substitute Federico Macheda, who had joined Gabriel Obertan in coming on for Berbatov and Hernandez, was sloppy in possession and allowed Villa to break. Young found Downing down the left, who crossed to the back post for Albrighton to slot home from five yards.
An out-of-sorts United weren’t about to panic, though. After Rio Ferdinand had seen his volley blocked on the line, Macheda gave the visitors a lifeline nine minutes from time when he fired a stunning effort into the roof of the net after a neat lay-off from Fletcher.
Villa still looked dangerous atthe other end and Downing almost made it 3-1 on 83 minutes, but his sweetly-struck shot flew just over.
As we've seen throughout Sir Alex's 24-year reign, United never know when it's time to quit and five minutes from time the Reds drew level. Nani jigged his way down the left before sending a fizzing cross to the back post where Vidic was waiting to plant a diving header past Friedel. Cue wild celebrations amongst United players and fans alike.
Friedel blocked a goal-bound effort from Obertan soon after as the Reds went in search of a winner, but time was always against United who in truth were probably more relieved than disappointed with another away draw.
