Manchester United came back from two goals down to salvage a point against a youthful Aston Villa.

James Collins and Gabriel Agbonlahor each struck the United woodwork before Villa went ahead when Ashley Young scored from the penalty spot.

Marc Albrighton slotted in from close range as he added to Villa's lead.

But Federico Macheda gave United hope with a powerful shot and Nemanja Vidic stooped to head in a Nani cross to equalise for the visitors late on.

United's comeback provided a thrilling finale to the match but manager Sir Alex Ferguson will be left wondering why it took his team going 2-0 down for them to be sparked into life.

Ferguson had taken off misfiring striker Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov as he sent on Gabriel Obertan and Macheda with his side looking beaten but they raised themselves for a late rally to earn what had appeared an unlikely draw following the stirring efforts of Villa.

 It was the sixth draw in seven league outings for United on their travels this season and, although they kept up their unbeaten record for the campaign, that is now 12 points dropped away from home.

United had the motivation of knowing a win at Villa would close the gap to one point on Premier League leaders Chelsea, who were playing a day later, but the visitors lacked an urgency and an appetite for the game.

They were almost caught napping early on when Barry Bannan slid a ball inside right-back Wes Brown to find Stewart Downing and it needed centre-back Rio Ferdinand to come across and clear out the danger.

United did show a rare moment of threat when a poked Hernandez pass released Berbatov but his early season confidence in front of goal looks to have been eroded as he sidefooted disappointingly wide.

The visitors' lacklustre play was epitomised when a well-worked free-kick saw Nani play in Evra on the left only for his low whipped ball passing across the Villa goal without a team-mate showing a desire to get to it.

United were missing a player in the same mould as the suspended Paul Scholes, whose creative ability in spraying the ball around and getting forward from midfield was tellingly absent.

Hernandez and Berbatov both looked out-of-sorts as they were well-marshalled by a resolute Villa defence, which comprised the bulk of the team's experience.

The rest of the Villa team was predominantly made up of the club's up-and-coming talent and the more their opponents struggled the more they grew into their task.

Albrighton was a threat on the right flank, while central midfield duo Barry Bannan and Jonathan Hogg, who was making his league debut for Villa, were showing the benefits of youthful zest.

Young had a half-volley saved and Stewart Downing's shot was deflected narrowly wide off Ferdinand as the home side sensed a fragile United.

Not even a half-time teamtalk from Ferguson appeared to have forced his team into any sort of action and, instead, they only looked increasingly vulnerable after the break.

Albrighton sent a far post shot wide as Villa pressed and he then got round United left-back Evra but agonisingly headed an inviting Downing cross across goal and wide.

A fleet-footed Villa full of energy and verve were piling on the pressure and only the woodwork was coming to United's rescue.

Downing sent in another threatening ball from the left and Collins rose highest to launch a thunderous header against the crossbar.

United were rocking and, after the ball broke loose after a Vidic tackle on Young, Agbonlahor crashed a shot off the United post.

There was the fear Villa would pay for not making the most of their pressure but they were rewarded for their play when a counter-attack ended with Wes Brown felling Young, who picked himself up to score from the spot.

It got even better for the home side after Macheda gave the ball away and a swift and clinical Villa break ended with Albrighton slotting in after Downing crossed to the far post.

But United are renowned for their ability to keep fighting until the final whistle and Macheda drilled in an 18-yard shot which gave them a renewed belief.

When Vidic met a Nani cross at the far post and nodded in an angle header, the visitors suddenly felt a victory was within their reach.

Villa held on for a point but, a league win over United at home since 1995 still eluded them.