Manchester United vs Aston Villa LIVE! Hojlund goal - Premier League match stream, latest score updates today

Manchester United vs Aston Villa LIVE!

Erik ten Hag is in dire need of a win as a new era begins at the club. Sir Jim Ratcliffe's 25 per cent stake in the club was confirmed on Christmas Eve, with the British billionaire set to take over footballing matters as the boyhood fan looks to lead the club back to past glory.

Ratcliffe has quite the job on his hands with United currently amid their worst start to a season since being relegated half a century ago, while the club are already out of both Europe - having finished bottom of a group they should have qualified from on paper - and the Carabao Cup.

Aston Villa, meanwhile, are having the season under the tutelage of Unai Emery that United fans will have expected Ten Hag to be masterminding. Sitting third heading into the game and just one point off the top at the start of the day, Villa are flying but their away form has been a concern at times - will it be so today? Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog.

Man United vs Aston Villa latest news

Full-time!

22:00 , Alex Young

100min: That's it! A huge, huge win!

21:58 , Alex Young

98min: Hannibal wins a free kick in Villa's final third, and this one is almost done.

21:54 , Alex Young

94min: Final changes for United as Eriksen and Garnacho are replaced by Gore and Hannibal.

21:53 , Alex Young

92min: Garnacho wants his hat-trick as he runs in from the right, ignores Antony and fires at goal... which is blocked. Can't blame him.

21:51 , Alex Young

90min: Nine minutes added on.

21:51 , Alex Young

88min: Hojlund is replaced to a standing ovation. Kambwalla is on.

21:47 , Alex Young

85min: Do Villa have anything left in them?

GOAL!

21:42 , Alex Young

82min: Hojlund has done it! After 1026 minutes he has his first Premier League goal!

Right place, right time as the striker fires home inside the area.

21:40 , Alex Young

80min: Rashford and Mainoo off for Antony and McTominay.

21:40 , Alex Young

79min: The pace of the game has slowed down somewhat. Antony and McTominay being readied.

21:37 , Alex Young

77min: Emery calls for Emery and Zaniolo. Ramsey and Bailey make way.

21:34 , Alex Young

73min: Old Trafford is bouncing now.

GOAL!

21:31 , Alex Young

70min: Garnacho at the double! A superb finish, on the turn from the edge of the area.

We've got a huge 20 minutes to come.

21:26 , Alex Young

65min: United fans are screaming for a penalty as Hojlund takes a tumble inside the area, but it's three yards offside so it counts for nothing.

21:24 , Alex Young

63min: Garnacho goes close with a drive across goal, with Hojlund begging for a pass. Probably took the correct option.

GOAL!

21:20 , Alex Young

59min: This one counts for Garnacho as United break and the youngster times his run well to tuck home at the back post. Game on!

21:17 , Alex Young

57min: Fernandes now with a decent shot at goal from the edge of the area.

21:16 , Alex Young

54min: Huge roars from the home crowd as Martinez runs from goal and clears and ball ahead of Rashford, but it's clearly a fair tackle. Great goalkeeping despite Rashford being left in a heap.

21:15 , Alex Young

51min: United look energised, not demoralised by that VAR call.

21:11 , Alex Young

48min: Amid all of that, Digne was injured in that move and Moreno has replaced him.

NO GOAL!

21:10 , Alex Young

47min: Almost the perfect start to the second half! Rashford plays in Garnacho to round Martinez and score but the youngster mistimes his run and he is offside.

Second half

21:06 , Alex Young

46min: Back underway!

20:57 , Alex Young

United have had their chances but Villa look utterly unfazed and in full control. Boos at half-time.A new era but the same old miserable performance so far. Fernandes and Rashford breaking records for moaning at team-mates. The captain, especially, just zero leadership from him.

Half-time

20:50 , Alex Young

49min: Boos at half-time.

20:48 , Alex Young

48min: Ramsey is booked as we approach half-time.

20:45 , Alex Young

45min: Four minutes added on.

20:44 , Alex Young

44min: Rashford looks the most likely to make something happen for United. He picks up a beauty of a ball from Fernandes, takes on Konsa into the area but his shot is six yards wide of the near post.

20:44 , Alex Young

42min: United with most of the possession but still unable to really lay a finger on Villa, who look so assured.

20:39 , Alex Young

39min: United have somewhat reacted well to going behind, carving open a few chances but not troubling Villa at all yet.

20:37 , Alex Young

36min: Rashford with another fierce drive at goal, which Martinez is a match to.

20:34 , Alex Young

34min: Fernandes tries to do with Bailey did by distracting Martinez as Eriksen lines up a free kick... only to see his team-mate hit the wall.

20:32 , Alex Young

32min: That's more like it! Rashford picks up the ball on the edge of the area and fires a low shot at Martinez.

Almost seven hours since United last scored a goal.

20:31 , Alex Young

31min: Fernandes beats the offside flag, controls the ball in acres of space and then fires a shot 10 yards wide. That was so poor but he's quick have a go at a team-mate.

GOAL!

20:27 , Alex Young

26min: Oh my word. It's two! Another set-piece, McGinn finds Lenglet at the back post, who is completely unmarked, and Dendonker is almost completely unmarked in the six-yard box. Abysmal from United.

GOAL!

20:23 , Alex Young

22min: It sails all the way in from McGinn! Bailey really confused Onana but simply standing behind the goalkeeper before the free kick is taken!

Onana is all confused and the ball bounces past him amid a sea of bodies.

20:21 , Alex Young

21min: Villa win a free kick after Fernandes boots Dendoncker in the chest. Near the touchline almost level with the edge of the United penalty area.

20:18 , Alex Young

18min: Again Rashford makes the run and again he doesn't get the ball... and throws up his hands in exasperation.

20:17 , Alex Young

16min: Nearly a glorious, low, driven pass from Mainoo for Rashford to set the forward one on one... but Carlos cuts it out. Some vision from the youngster, there.

20:16 , Alex Young

15min: Deary me, again! Garnacho storms down the right and has three team-mates in the centre, all lined up to fire home... but misses all of them.

20:13 , Alex Young

13min: Another nice break from United, who take a free kick quickly after McGinn fouls Fernandes, but Rashford's pass to the Portuguese doesn't come off inside the area.

20:11 , Alex Young

11min: That's better from Eriksen, who hits a half-volley side-footed straight at Martinez. No trouble for the keeper but that's the first shot on target of the game.

20:10 , Alex Young

9min: Deary me. United looks to break after a poor Villa free kick, as Ramsey fluffs a clearance straight to Eriksen who has Rashford is acres ahead of him with barely a defender in sight... but he thwacks the pass at the striker, who cannot control.

20:05 , Alex Young

5min: Villa seeing more of the ball, passing around fairly comfortably in midfield.

20:02 , Alex Young

2min: First half-chance falls to United but Hojlund bizarrely tries to flick the ball with his chest via than head, and then Anthony is offside anyway. So simply not good.

Kick-off!

20:00 , Alex Young

1min: Here we go!

19:59 , Alex Young

Hojlund has not scored in 945 Premier League minutes. Is tonight the night?

19:56 , Alex Young

The teams are in the tunnel. Almost time.

19:45 , Alex Young

Final preparations.

19:38 , Alex Young

According to reports, Sir Dave Brailsford is at Old Trafford tonight.

He is Sir Jim Ratcliffe's right-hand man and will be wanting an improvement tonight.

Ten Hag tells Amazon Prime Sport: “Sir Dave Brailsford wants to work with us, we want to work with him. I am looking forward to it."

19:31 , Alex Young

A Mainoo-Eriksen midfield is a, er, bold* choice against Aston Villa, who have Luiz, McGinn and have brought in Dendoncker for the game.

(*there are other words which could also be used.)

19:18 , Alex Young

Manchester United make four changes from the 2-0 loss to West Ham as Raphael Varane, Marcus Rashford and Christian Eriksen come into the team. There is no Luke Shaw in the squad.

Debutant last time out Willy Kambwala joins the likes of Scott McTominay and Antony on the bench.

Aston Villa make two changes to the team who drew 1-1 with Sheffield United. Moussa Diaby drops to the bench as Leander Dendoncker comes in.

Teams in full

19:08 , Alex Young

Manchester United XI: Onana, Wan-Bissaka, Evans, Varane, Dalot, Mainoo, Eriksen, Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, Garnacho, Hojlund

Subs: Bayindir, Reguilon, Antony, Pellistri, van de Beek, McTominay, Gore, Mejbri, Kambwala

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Konsa, Diego Carlos, Lenglet, Digne, Bailey, McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Ramsey, Dendoncker, Watkins

Subs: Torres, Alex Moreno, Chambers, Diaby, Zaniolo, Duran, Marschall, Iroegbunam, Proctor

Aston Villa XI

19:04 , Alex Young

...and the visitors.

Man United XI

19:03 , Alex Young

Here's how the hosts look.

18:58 , Alex Young

It sounds like Marcus Rashford starts. Confirmed teams are imminent.

18:53 , Alex Young

Erik ten Hag admits Manchester United need to get Old Trafford rocking in a bid to put their season back on track.

United host high-flying Aston Villa on Boxing Day, three days after slumping to a 2-0 defeat at West Ham, in what will be their first game since it was announced that Sir Jim Ratcliffe has agreed to buy a 25 per cent stake in the club.

The Hammers defeat was their 13th loss in 26 matches this term, and a 20th defeat in 2023 - their worst tally in a calendar year since 1989.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp criticised the atmosphere at Anfield following their Carabao Cup win over the Hammers last week, and Ten Hag knows he needs to give the Old Trafford faithful something to shout about.

"I am sure they are very disappointed in us and we have to put things right and do things different," said the United chief.

"We appreciate all the time they are supporting us. With all the setbacks this season, they are all the time behind us and we really appreciate that. Of course we need any help but first of all I and the team have to do it."

18:37 , Alex Young

Plenty of Manchester United players need to improve, though few more so than Anthony who has barely scratched the surface of repaying his £90million price tag.

Emery sets out aim for big games

18:25 , Alex Young

Unai Emery insists Aston Villa deserve to be competing at the top of the Premier League but must still prove themselves as big guns.

Emery said: "Each team deserves their position in the Premier League. We demand a lot of ourselves, I'm happy and proud of the work we've done so far.

"We're facing Manchester United better than them in the table at the moment.

"But they are thought of as a top-seven team more than we are. We have to work out how we can face those teams.

"At the start of the season, we played at Newcastle and lost, then the same at Liverpool but we've also won at Tottenham and Chelsea. Once again, we're away at United - and the challenge is more for us than it is at home.

"Our mentality is to keep going and compete every day. We're consistent and competitive - and that's not changing. We're aiming to keep this position and do something in the Europa Conference League.

"We're focusing and correcting what needs to be corrected."

Ratcliffe calls for time and patience from fans

18:12 , Alex Young

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has reached out to fans after agreeing to buy a 25 per cent stake in Manchester United, telling them he takes his responsibility to put the club back on top of world football "very seriously" but also calling for patience.

United announced on Christmas Eve that Ratcliffe, the chairman of INEOS, had finalised a £1.25billion deal for a share of the Premier League outfit and will invest more than £236m to refurbish the debt-laden club's infrastructure.

INEOS will also take over the management of United's football operations.

Ratcliffe has now written to the Manchester United Supporters' Trust, the Fans' Forum and the Fans' Advisory Board insisting INEOS "are in for the long-term" but advising that success on the pitch "will require time and patience".

Read more here!

Score prediction

18:01 , Alex Young

It is very tough to predict whether United will suddenly turn up now the Ratcliffe business is done, as well as if Villa will undergo a dip having missed their chance to top the table.

We'll go with no to both of those propositions.

Aston Villa to win, 2-0.

17:51 , Alex Young

Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara are suspended for the visitors, who are hoping Pau Torres can provide a boost to their defence by overcoming an ankle issue.

Tyrone Mings, Emi Buendia, Youri Tielemans, Bertrand Traore and Robin Olsen are all out.

17:47 , Alex Young

Ten Hag might have Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial back from illness, the defender's return possibly taking young Willy Kambwala out of the firing line.

Diogo Dalot should make the squad after a one-game ban.

An extensive injury list features Mason Mount, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia - but Christian Eriksen could be ready for his first start since mid-November.

Amad Diallo might be an option soon, though Jadon Sancho remains firmly out of the first-team picture.

How to watch

17:35 , Alex Young

TV channel: In the UK, today's game will be televised live on Amazon Prime Video.

Live stream: Subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Amazon Prime Video app and website.

Welcome

17:30 , Alex Young

Good evening and welcome to the Standard's LIVE coverage of the Premier League clash between Manchester United and Aston Villa.

A new era is set to begin at Old Trafford following confirmation of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's 25 per cent stake in the club, and the boyhood fan will be hoping it gives the club a lift amid a miserable season.

Erik ten Hag is not considered in any danger just yet, but another defeat in front of their own fans will not hurt any less. Kick-off is at 8pm.