The Premier League match between Manchester United and Aston Villa is being watched by Robin van Persie at Old Trafford.

On Boxing Day, United great Robin van Persie will be back at Old Trafford to watch his old team play Premier League opponent Aston Villa. Before the game started, the former Dutch international was seen posing for photographs and signing autographs for supporters.

Following Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS group’s acquisition of a 25% share in the club for around £1.25 billiоn ($1.58 billiоn) on Christmas Eve, Manchester United will look to get back on track beginning with Tuesday’s match against the Villans. In the future, the Old Trafford stadium will get £237 million ($300 million) from the British billionaire.

With eight losses in the Premier League so far this season, Erik ten Hag’s team can’t afford to lose any more points if they wish to finish in the playoff spots. Their last 2023 match will be against Nottingham Forest, following their match against Unai Emery’s squad.

Sir Dave Brailsford attends Manchester United vs Aston Villa after Sir Jim Ratcliffe takeover

The first Manchester United game since Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s 25% minority interest was confirmed was watched by INEOS sporting director Sir Dave Brailsford at Old Trafford.

Having already made multiple journeys to Carrington, the 59-year-old former British Cycling supremo will become an intimate member of Ratcliffe’s inner circle once the £1.3 billiоn acquisition passes regulatory tests. During United’s Boxing Day match against Aston Villa, Brailsford was spotted sitting in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand.

At OGC Nice, one of INEOS’s two football clubs, he and Ratcliffe collaborated. As INEOS assumes sports control of United, Brailsford will be joined by Jean-Claude Blanc, a former chief executive of Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain.

As part of their plans to shake up the boardroom, the new owners are reportedly eyeing Dan Ashworth of Newcastle to succeed John Murtough as football director.There is a long-standing relationship between Ashworth and Brailsford; in 2022, the Magpies boss asked Brailsford to address the Newcastle team. In the summer of that year, Brailsford audited Nice and is now expected to do the same at United.

He and Ratcliffe will have to wait a few more weeks before they can formally move into their office suites at Old Trafford. The investment is currently undergoing a number of legal evaluations, including one for the Premier League owners’ and directors’ test. Although no problems are anticipated, the agreement may not be able to pass through the necessary bureaucratic hoops until late January, if that.

“We are here for the long term and recognise that a lot of challenges and hard work lie ahead, which we will approach with rigor, professionalism and passion,” Ratcliffe said in a statement confirming his upcoming visit on Christmas Eve.

“Our dedication is in collaborating with the entire Club community, including the Board, employees, players, and supporters, to propel the Club towards greater success. We all have one goal in mind, and that is to restore Manchester United to its rightful place at the pinnacle of English, European, and global football.