Macheda the hero on dream United debut

Teenage Manchester United FC debutant Federico Macheda struck an injury-time winner against Aston Villa FC to take his team back to the top of the Premier League after a game they trailed with ten minutes left.

Carew equaliser
United were aiming to avoid suffering a third consecutive league defeat for the first time since December 2001, having fallen two points behind Liverpool FC when the Merseysiders defeated Fulham FC with a late goal on Saturday. Ryan Giggs set up Cristiano Ronaldo to give his team a 14th-minute lead but the home side, for the first time in two years starting without both injured Rio Ferdinand and suspended Nemanja Vidić, were pegged back when John Carew headed in Gareth Barry's cross on the half-hour.

Ronaldo strikes
Villa, who had not beaten United in their last 26 league fixtures since August 1995, now had the wind in their sails and 13 minutes into the second half Carew played the ball in from the left and Gabriel Agbonlahor leapt to head past Edwin van der Sar. The visitors remained in front until the 80th minute, when Ronaldo slipped a shot just inside the post, and deep in added time 17-year-old Macheda, brought on just past the hour, turned superbly and shot beyond Brad Friedel.

'Day of my dreams'
The Italian, who came through the S.S. Lazio youth system before joining United in September 2007, said: "I think this is the day of my dreams, to score a goal like that on my debut. I was surprised to be on the bench, to be honest. I was asked yesterday to go to Italy and join up with the national team [at Under-19 level] but Sir Alex said I had to stay here because I might be on the bench. It was then I knew I had a chance."

'Grateful'
United captain Gary Neville added: "I'm just grateful to him really. In the first half we fell apart a bit defensively and I think I paid a little bit for not playing for a couple of months. But in the second half we played the right way. We never stopped, kept passing the ball and got stronger as the game went on. And the quality he has shown there for the finish at the end is unbelievable." United, who still have a game in hand on Liverpool and third-placed Chelsea, four points back, welcome FC Porto on Tuesday for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final. Villa are six points behind fourth-placed Arsenal FC.

Everton cruise
Everton FC are within one point of Villa in sixth after a 4-0 defeat of Wigan Athletic FC that takes them a step closer to the 2009/10 UEFA Europa League. Jô put Everton ahead in the 26th minute with a low drive and early in the second half made it 3-0 not long after Marouane Fellaini had doubled the lead. The Brazilian's second goal came after Chris Kirkland had parried a Fellaini shot and the fourth goal, just past the hour, came in similar circumstances, with Leon Osman this time pouncing to score. Wigan remain eighth, three points behind West Ham United FC.