Philippe Coutinho scores on his Aston Villa debut to earn Steven Gerrard’s side a point at home to Manchester United.

Coutinho was just about to be introduced by Villa boss Gerrard midway through the second half when Bruno Fernandes slammed home his second goal of the game off the underside of the bar.
But the Brazilian proved the catalyst for a memorable response.
First he drove at the United defence, helping to create the space which Jacob Ramsey exploited to halve the deficit.
Then Ramsey slid over an excellent cross from the left which Raphael Varane was unable to intercept as he slid back, leaving Coutinho to finish into an empty net.
The goal brought celebrations at both ends of the pitch as Emiliano Martinez also went into the crowd in relief – it was the Argentine’s horrible sixth-minute error that had gifted Fernandes the visitors’ opener.
Coutinho the catalyst
Given his background – with Liverpool, Barcelona and Bayern Munich – Coutinho is a bold loan signing by Villa, and underlines the pedigree of the man they appointed as manager in November.
Gerrard is not at Villa to learn how to avoid relegation.
His demands remain as high as they were as a player and Coutinho’s arrival is an example of that.
Villa are a better team since Gerrard’s arrival and, after a sluggish start against opponents they dominated but lost to in the FA Cup five days ago, they grew into the game.
The club’s other newboy, Lucas Digne, was among those denied by United keeper David de Gea at the end of the first half – in unorthodox fashion, with his knees.
Ollie Watkins did not really test the Spain keeper when Villa broke after Edinson Cavani lost possession in his own half. However, Emi Buendia certainly did with a near-post header. Rooted to his line, De Gea’s reactions were up to the job as he beat Buendia’s effort away.
When De Gea produced more saves after half-time to deny Ramsey and Digne again, it appeared the image of the night for Villa would be midfielder Morgan Sanson kicking a drinks bottle in fury after his error in gifting Fred possession to set up Fernandes for the visitors’ second had been followed immediately by his substitution.
However, as it was the prelude to Coutinho’s arrival, it was the moment that changed the course of the game – and the acclaim for the Brazilian at the final whistle indicated Villa’s fans are already firmly behind him.
More to follow.
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key1 = Give it up10 = Pure perfection
Aston Villa
Starting XI
Avg
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Squad number1Player nameMartínezAverage rating
5.77
-
Squad number2Player nameCashAverage rating
6.51
-
Squad number4Player nameKonsaAverage rating
6.31
-
Squad number5Player nameMingsAverage rating
6.55
-
Squad number27Player nameDigneAverage rating
6.83
-
Squad number8Player nameSansonAverage rating
6.11
-
Squad number6Player nameDouglas LuizAverage rating
6.30
-
Squad number41Player nameJ RamseyAverage rating
7.54
-
Squad number11Player nameWatkinsAverage rating
6.45
-
Squad number20Player nameIngsAverage rating
6.10
-
Squad number10Player nameBuendíaAverage rating
7.05
Substitutes
Avg
-
Squad number23Player namePhilippe CoutinhoAverage rating
8.53
-
Squad number30Player nameHauseAverage rating
6.62
-
Squad number33Player nameChukwuemekaAverage rating
6.57
Manchester United
Starting XI
Avg
-
Squad number1Player namede GeaAverage rating
6.29
-
Squad number20Player nameDiogo DalotAverage rating
4.80
-
Squad number2Player nameLindelöfAverage rating
4.80
-
Squad number19Player nameVaraneAverage rating
4.99
-
Squad number27Player nameAlex TellesAverage rating
4.95
-
Squad number17Player nameFredAverage rating
4.55
-
Squad number31Player nameMaticAverage rating
4.27
-
Squad number11Player nameGreenwoodAverage rating
5.05
-
Squad number18Player nameBruno FernandesAverage rating
5.84
-
Squad number36Player nameElangaAverage rating
5.69
-
Squad number21Player nameCavaniAverage rating
5.13
Substitutes
Avg
-
Squad number14Player nameLingardAverage rating
4.33
-
Squad number25Player nameSanchoAverage rating
3.73
-
Squad number34Player namevan de BeekAverage rating
4.76
Line-ups
Aston Villa
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Martínez
- 2Cash
- 4KonsaSubstituted forHauseat 45’minutes
- 5Mings
- 27DigneBooked at 27mins
- 8SansonSubstituted forCoutinhoat 68’minutes
- 6Douglas Luiz
- 41J Ramsey
- 11Watkins
- 20IngsSubstituted forChukwuemekaat 76’minutes
- 10Buendía
Substitutes
- 3Targett
- 12Steer
- 18Young
- 23Coutinho
- 29Hayden
- 30Hause
- 33Chukwuemeka
- 35Archer
- 47Iroegbunam
Man Utd
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1de Gea
- 20Dalot
- 2Lindelöf
- 19Varane
- 27Telles
- 17Fred
- 31MaticBooked at 31mins
- 11GreenwoodSubstituted forLingardat 89’minutes
- 18Bruno FernandesBooked at 46minsSubstituted forvan de Beekat 89’minutes
- 36ElangaSubstituted forSanchoat 78’minutes
- 21Cavani
Substitutes
- 4Jones
- 5Maguire
- 8Mata
- 14Lingard
- 22Heaton
- 25Sancho
- 26Henderson
- 34van de Beek
- Referee:
- David Coote
Live Text
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Match ends, Aston Villa 2, Manchester United 2.
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Second Half ends, Aston Villa 2, Manchester United 2.
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Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Kortney Hause.
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Attempt blocked. Donny van de Beek (Manchester United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jadon Sancho.
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Offside, Aston Villa. Matthew Cash tries a through ball, but Ollie Watkins is caught offside.
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Attempt saved. Kortney Hause (Aston Villa) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Douglas Luiz.
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Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Nemanja Matic (Manchester United).
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Carney Chukwuemeka (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Fred (Manchester United).
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Substitution, Manchester United. Jesse Lingard replaces Mason Greenwood.
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Substitution, Manchester United. Donny van de Beek replaces Bruno Fernandes.
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Attempt saved. Philippe Coutinho (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Emiliano Buendía.
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Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Fred (Manchester United).
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Goal! Aston Villa 2, Manchester United 2. Philippe Coutinho (Aston Villa) right footed shot from very close range to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Jacob Ramsey.
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Substitution, Manchester United. Jadon Sancho replaces Anthony Elanga.
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Goal! Aston Villa 1, Manchester United 2. Jacob Ramsey (Aston Villa) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner.
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Substitution, Aston Villa. Carney Chukwuemeka replaces Danny Ings.
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Attempt missed. Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Matthew Cash with a cross.
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