Last Minute Drama At Old Trafford | Man Utd 3-2 Aston Villa | Classic Premier League Highlights

Looking to revive their title charge, Manchester United welcomed out-of-form Aston Villa to Old Trafford in April 2009. Having seen a seven-point lead whittled away, United were now in second place behind arch-rivals Liverpool. Sir Alex Ferguson was without the suspended Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes, who'd both been sent off in a defeat at Fulham. Missing for the visitors was England striker Emil Heskey, who'd picked up a hamstring injury while on international duty. Villa hadn't won at Old Trafford since 1983. Their current form, they'd lost five of the last six, suggested the long wait wasn't about to end. Commentary from Paul Walsh and John Champier. Away we go and without question a very significant game in the Barclays Premier League. Liverpool, courtesy of a 92nd minute winner at Craven Cottage late yesterday, going top for the James Milner. Here's Carew, Ashley Young and Van der Sar with a flailing right fist. Certainly a very good ball in from Ashley Young, good delivery, good shape on it and Van der Sar had to come for it. Ed van der Hoor wasn't far away from it. The frisson of concern amongst Manchester United supporters at the way they've been pegged back. And if Aston Villa were to get the first goal here today it would be very interesting. They've not been playing nowhere near their best lately. Players like Ed van der Hoor haven't been in great form, certainly goal scoring form. He's just been taken out of the firing line last game and hopefully that breather might just give him that little chance to recover. Ashley Young, capped out by O'Shea. O'Shea was part of the Italy side, the Ireland side that's equalised so late in Italy in the World Cup qualifier last week. James Milner, Nicky Shorey. Shorey's done well here. His first touch is excellent. As it comes out it just touches there and into the box and that allows him to drive into the box and look for that post, near post ball. Villa have opened brightly here. Ashley Young and the header guided onto the upright by the man stationed by the post who is Darren Fletcher. He just goes in and pulls out Carew. Darren Fletcher just getting his body right up against the post just to make sure. I think it actually maybe helps it onto the post. So a scare for Manchester United. He's on his way. Here's Barry. One season Villa lost 4-0 here. Made the decision to play Nigel Riokoka at right back that day and paid for it. Here though is Agbon Lahore for Aston Villa and it's still in play with James Milner. Manchester United looking pretty uncertain. Petrov, Luke Young. I don't think Agbon Lahore can do much more than he did there. We had a crowd getting right behind United. They know they've had a not very good start and they're just trying to help it along. Now back pass Milner to Friedl. Might rightly think so. There's definitely a back pass no doubt about it. Milner's hoping that Bragg Friedl will really come a bit more positive and take the thing himself. Now 10 yards. Picks the wall. What's the best bet here Paul? Well sometimes you can almost be too close can't you but it's because it's on the angle makes it a little bit tougher. You've just got to try and cover all the base. I don't think a direct shot can work here but can they shift it to someone like Neville on the edge of the box? You're going to see a lot of bodies flying in front of the ball very quickly. Before 10 yards back. Some of them definitely aren't in fact. Milner poised. Ashley Young as well. Neither of them are anywhere near 10 yards back and might rightly is going to take action. He's booking Milner but Ashley Young looks closer than anybody. And the Manchester United players are pointing at Ashley Young as well so he's the one that's spoiling what they're trying to do. Well it is the effort on goal and it's brilliant. It's Cristiano Ronaldo and after a start full of hesitancy and worry a surge of relief around Old Trafford and all because of Milner's volley. Well you know it's just a little shift and it just changes the angle slightly but it still takes a hell of a finish to get it into the back of the net from there. And it's a difficult one for Brad Friedel. Where does he stand in this situation? Really you could argue that he should be more to the side of the goal where the ball goes in. Sure he's not the tallest. The players can't get the height on the jump but it's a great finish. But you look back to Milner's role in the pass back. Could Brad Friedel have done more? Come and dived on it and that would have saved the free kick situation. He knows that Milner can't have a touch back to him so could have helped him I think. Confirmation of that booking for James Milner for encroaching. Milner also the man who effectively forced Villa to give away the free kick. But wasn't it converted well and here's Giggs to the middle now. And Carlos Cuellar made a vital challenge. It's just a straight pass. Gets missed and Giggs can't quite get up to the ball quickly enough. Right on the edge that's a free kick. Darren Fletcher penalised. Petrov tripped. Well certainly first contact is outside the box so the referees made a correct decision. Be fortunate to get away without a card though Fletcher. Yeah I think you're right yeah. And he knows that Petrov's got away from him and he's all over his back and I've certainly seen players book for less. So Aston Villa with a free kick opportunity of their own. Barry offers a left footed option. Ashley Young is there as well. It is Ashley Young. Flying save Van der Sar. Van der Sar to reverse it hoping that Van der Sar thinks it's going over the wall into the other side. Comfortable save in the end. Decent game so far. I've been impressed with Aston Villa's start. They feel unfortunate to be one down. This time Matt Reilly spotting an infringement as the corner came in involving Curtis Davis. Villa eight without a win in all competitions. That's seen them exit the FA Cup in the fifth round at Everton and the UEFA Cup against CSKA Moscow. But there's Carew and in the Barclays Premier League they are still in there pitching and it's a goal that will be saluted not just by Villa but also by Liverpool and maybe Chelsea too. Well it's a great delivery into a great area and great control by Gareth Barry. Steps inside and then fantastic delivery. Carew just pulling off the back I think of Evans. That's Gary Neville. The pace is on the cross. That's a good finish. It's their old foe John Carew who caused them problems years ago in the Champions League with Valencia. Here it is. Who has headed Aston Villa back on terms at Old Trafford. And his is the name on the lips of the Aston Villa supporters now. Rinaldi over the ball. Higgs, Tevez and Ronaldo on the edge of the Aston Villa penalty area. Rinaldi's delivery and a good leap by Ronaldo. Oh it just looked like he didn't get, I'm not sure how much he gets on this but it needed a bit more. Good run. That's the slightest of touches but not enough to divert it enough. Has to go down as a chance. Ashley Young. James Milner. Good pace about this game. There's been a change around there. Has reverted to right back and O'Shea is in the centre. Here's Ashley Young. Well it's one of those situations before the game where we wasn't exactly sure who was going to play I think from an aerial point of view maybe they've took the view. John O'Shea will deal with Carew that bit better and maybe Gareth Neville has done so far. Nani. Ashley Young is through the middle. Luke Young on the outside. Fired in. Van der Sar claims. Thoughts on the first half? Well I think Villa have been you know every bit as good as Manchester United. If not better. The way they approached the game was fantastic and I thought it was unfortunate Half time at Old Trafford in front of a full house. Manchester United 1. Aston Villa 1. Manchester United in this second period attacking the Stretford end and Tevez trying to get to that being fended off by Carlos Cuellar. Aggrieved at a referee who gives nothing. It was who lost out. Van der Horde sprinted through the middle. It wasn't released. Instead it's Carew and Aggron Lahore. Well he may have sustained an injury but so have Manchester United. 2-1 down at home. What on earth is going on? Well for me this is great play by Petrov because he could have easily played the ball when players were in an offside position. Makes the challenge in the first place on Manolo to break forward. There you see Carew's gone offside. Delays the play then plays Carew once he's in an offside position. Keeps it going and then he just drifts a great ball and Aggron Lahore just well he pulls off the back of Evra and it's just all too easy really. It's not I mean it's a good ball into a good area. I think he'd be disappointed and Evra although he's small he's quite good in the air. He's got a good leap on him but Aggron Lahore gets there first just to direct the ball past Van der Sar who's never getting there to make it 2-1 but what a result we've got so far in our hands now. But Aston Villa lead an old trap at a ground where they haven't won in more than a quarter of a century and Manchester United in danger of losing a third consecutive game. When you think of what Manchester United have created in open play I can't think of too much. Ronaldo and he's got some making up to do and the sign of Manchester United's desperation. Nowhere with respect to Manchester United's reserve team comes a 17 year old striker an Italian Federico Macheda who has never previously been close to the first team but they need some firepower and he is their only option. Danny Welbeck is also on the bench but Macheda is the choice. That's Manchester United's goal won by Neville. Macheda, Tevez, Ronaldo, nobody there. Curtis Davis clears and when he comes back inside Ronaldo just prods it. He's under so much pressure he couldn't really pick anybody out but it's concerted pressure now from Manchester United. Lecture in Machedo threw himself at the ball appeals for a penalty gets nothing and Mike Riley having to step in and calm things down now. Well it's difficult to see from that angle but there's going to be some coming together I don't think there's a pull of a shirt or anything outrageous and I don't think it's a penalty. This man's been a magician for a generation or so Ryan Giggs he earns a corner Giggs to take well struck corner as well and Jonny Evans got his forehead to it arrives in the box late off the back of Cuela. Here's the 17 year old Italian Machedo who was plucked from the Lazio youth system a couple of years ago Carlos Tevez corner. Certainly Machedo was keen to get on with it and get the thing moving again got an urgency about him. It's rather smacks of what we have we hold Rio Coca for Milner. Yeah fresh legs it's uh legs that are gonna certainly be not as effective going forward you think. And Friedel he was fouled off the ball. Giggs, Machedo, Carrick, Manchester United trying to free themselves from the shackles imposed by Aston Villa Ronaldo, Gary Neville. Ronaldo thought about staying down then realizes his team need him. Carrick, Giggs, Carrick a second time. Now it's Ronaldo and it's for moments like that that he's billed as the best in the world. Manchester United's saviour with 10 minutes to play Well in the end it's one of those strikes it's not the greatest clearance in the world They try to work it from the left side it comes to Ronaldo and it's not the sweetest of strikes but it's just got enough power on it goes through the legs just hits the side there and the accuracy is right into the corner. Well if history is a guide Manchester United will go on and win it because it's happened time and time again. Well there's no way that Villa do not deserve to come away from this game without something from what I've seen in the 80 minutes but you may well be right. And he's made up for the error in some respect of giving the ball away which led to Villa's second goal. Yeah exactly so he has made amends for his second goal. Here's Shorick for a goal kick platform that's the 20 mark for the season. Giggs, I'm confused as to where it was Macheda, Fletcher, Giggs, Fletcher! Great little interplay in the end Macheda helps it to Fletcher plays inside the keep gets a return and it's on the half volley and that's a great effort always on the rise always going over the top I think but Friedl getting his fingers on it as well Ronaldo in early it's well back Friedl with a heroic save would have been quite an introduction for the 18 year old who still has it now he doesn't it's a corner no it's a good saving in free down his feet very quickly his eyes lit up when this popped out to him it's uh last minute of the game this is Manchester United's speciality Giggs with the corner Gary Neville he'll retrieve it testing ball in it's a testing ball in that Aston Villa survived well great ball in and Johnny Evans just couldn't get anything on it here was the well-bet chance stays big gets a big right hand on it remember we're in the second of five additional minutes the next three minutes could have a huge bearing on where the title will land at the end of the season Neville, Macheda, nice drag back comes out though by Revillaboot to Giggs Macheda with a good turn what a moment the 17 year old has won it for Manchester United well what a goal that is I've got to tell you that this is top top class I mean to be fair to the fella since he's come on he has put himself about he's looked energetic he's wanted to be involved in everything he goes straight to friends and family only previously seen in Manchester United's reserves and now he scored the goal that may tilt the title race back in favour of the champions well it's just a great bit of invention in the box it just gets him round Luke Young, Luke Young thinks he's going down the other side he totally takes it across his body opens a goal up for himself and it's a superb finish, Ronaldo for promised five minutes we've had six we've got the whistle and Manchester United through a teenage Italian have got the win that takes them back to the top they're used to success here they're used to drama but even they have been spoiled today a 3-2 win over Aston Villa, Federico Macheda's spectacular injury time winner capping off a sensational comeback for Sir Alex Ferguson's side, Martyn O'Neill's flagging team finished the season sixth but United buoyed by this dramatic victory lifted the title for the third year running inspired by world-class talent