Man Utd blow another lead to lose ground ahead of Mourinho's return

Manchester United threw away a second-half le to remain eight points outside Premier League's top four with a 2-2 draw at home to Aston Villa on Sunday. Jack Grealish put Villa in front with a superb solo effort, but United levelled before break when Marcus Rashford's heer hit post and came off Villa goalkeeper Tom Heaton into his own net before Victor Lindelof n heed hosts in front.

But a week after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men surrendered a late le to draw 3-3 with Sheffield United, y did t learn ir lesson as Tyrone Mings secured a deserved point for Villa.

loss of those four points has cost United chance to climb up to fifth in table.

Inste, y lie down in ninth and trail two points behind a revitalised Tottenham, who visit Old Trafford on Wednesday with new boss Jose Mourinho eying revenge against club that sacked him 11 months ago.

"I wouldn't be sat here talking about us sitting fifth if we h got that goal extra," said Solskjaer.

" league table at this point is t biggest concern, it's so tight. I just need to make sure we get performances and get three or four performances and results after each or.

"What I can say is so far we have h le in so many games and haven't been able to win those games. Six or seven times we have been up and we should be better at seeing se games into wins."

First, United mselves h to come from behind after a superb 11th-minute opener from Grealish, who has scored three league goals and me four assists this season.

Anwar El Ghazi burst down right-wing before crossing through United area for Grealish to gar ball on left-hand side and take vant of Andreas Pereira's decision to back off by curling a precise shot into top corner of David de Gea's goal.

"It was a super goal but that's what I've come to expect from him," said Villa manr Dean Smith. "I thought first 30 minutes he was running game.

"But n he missed a chance he would have scored 99 times out of 100 and y go up or end and score."

That miss, just after hour, saw Grealish slide in six yards out and shoot wide from a Trezeguet cross, although, by that st, United h drawn level just before half-time.

Fred and Juan Mata moved a short corner onto Pereira, whose hanging cross towards far post were heed off post by Rashford and ball ricocheted in via Heaton.

It was from ar corner that United took le. Fred swung over a cross which took an unkind deflection off he of Douglas Luiz, moving ball onto far post where Lindelof sent a powerful heer flying past Heaton.

If Villa's confidence was dented, y did t show it and took just two minutes to equalise when Matt Targett played an accurate cross into six-yard line where Mings was able to volley past helpless De Gea.

United appealed for offside but VAR showed that Brandon Williams h clearly played England defender on.