Teenage substitute Federico Macheda struck in injury time as Manchester United returned to the top of the Premier League with a thrilling 3-2 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford here on Sunday.
The 17-year-old Italian, who’d come on just after the hour for Nani, in what was his first senior league appearance for United, curled a shot from the edge of the box past Brad Friedel in the 93rd minute.
Victory saw champions United go top of the league by a point from Liverpool and with a game in hand.
It had looked as though United, without suspended duo Nemanja Vidic and Wayne Rooney, were about to escape with a draw thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo.
World Footballer of the Year Ronaldo, who opened the scoring in the 14th minute from a free-kick inside the box following a Villa backpass, levelled the match 10 minutes from time with a left foot shot into the far corner and past a diving Friedel.
In between the Portugal winger’s two goals, Villa stunned the home crowd with two well-taken headers from John Carew, in the 30th minute, and striker Gabriel Agbonlahor, just short of the hour mark.
Victory stopped the rot for United after a 4-1 loss to Liverpool and a shock 2-0 defeat at the hands of Fulham.
Villa stayed fifth, six points adrift of the Champions League places.
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