Erik ten Hag oversaw an impressive Man Utd victory at Villa Park. He believes Douglas Luiz’s flamboyant Aston Villa celebration may have spurred his Manchester United players on to a crucial victory on Sunday afternoon. The Brazilian’s celebratory shimmy towards Andre Onana after scoring from close range may have backfired as it fueled the United players to grind out the result. The stakes were high and emotions were elevated as Unai Emery’s fifth-placed side took on sixth-placed United.
Rasmus Hojlund gave the visitors an early lead before Luiz pulled Villa level in the second half. However, Scott McTominay emerged from the bench to head in the winner, securing three points for United. Ten Hag made light of Luiz’s conduct but admitted that it may have motivated his players. He emphasized the importance of focusing on their game rather than the opposition.
The 2-1 win in the West Midlands marked a crucial six-point swing in favor of United in the race for Champions League qualification. Ten Hag praised super-sub McTominay for making another decisive impact from the bench, emphasizing his readiness to come on and make a difference. The Scottish international remains United’s Premier League top scorer this season despite starting only 12 matches.