Reds' Revival Pleases The Boss

Sir Alex bemoaned United’s slow start at Villa Park but was ultimately pleased with the team’s fighting spirit.

The Reds conceded twice in quick succession midway through the second half and looked destined for a first defeat of the season before goals from Federico Macheda and Nemanja Vidic rescued a dramatic point.

The draw was United's sixth from seven away games in the league this season, but Sir Alex admitted the result at Villa Park could have been much worse.

“We could have lost six goals in the second half,” he said. “They hit the woodwork twice and their outside right, Marc Albrighton, has missed two great chances. We were all over the place, to be honest with you.

“We waited too long to get intensity, that desire to win, into our game. It didn’t show until [we were 2-0 down].

"With our club, though, you can never say there's no way back. I brought Kiko and Obertan on and they changed the game. They showed great life and adventure. I [took off my two strikers] but I could have taken 10 players off. We didn't perform well today."

The Reds boss may not have been pleased with much of United’s performance but he was at pains to point out that Aston Villa deserve plenty of credit for taking a 2-0 lead.

“I think the emotion with which Villa played kept them at a high boiling point. Tackles – some of them today were fair, some of them weren’t, but the referee allowed things to go – can sometimes make for a great game. And we saw a great game today.

“You have to give great credit to Aston Villa for keeping that emotional aspect of their game up for the whole 90 minutes. They got stuck in, they tackled, they fought… and the crowd kept them going. All their young players, with their energy, made it a very difficult day for us.”

As tough as Aston Villa made it for the Reds, United rallied from 2-0 down to draw 2-2. And while Sir Alex must have arrived at Villa Park eyeing victory, he admits he can’t be too disappointed with the draw given the uphill task United faced with only 10 minutes to play.

“Today was a different type of match than the previous ones [we’ve drawn]. We’re worried about the nature of how we lost those early points. But when you’re 2-0 down with 10 minutes to go and you get a point you have to be pleased."