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Manchester United return to Premier League action on Sunday when they welcome Aston Villa to Old Trafford for what promises to be a fascinating encounter.
Michael Carrick’s side—sat 18th in the table—will be desperate to build on their dramatic midweek victory over AS Roma in the Champions League, having fought back from behind to snatch a thrilling 3–2 win with a late winner from Matheus Cunha.
It was a much-needed result, marking their first victory in all competitions since mid-September and potentially providing the spark they need to turn their season around.
Villa, however, will be no pushover.
While Unai Emery’s men haven’t quite been firing on all cylinders lately, they have already shown what they’re capable of this season, producing an impressive Premier League victory over Manchester City alongside memorable European wins against Fenerbahçe and Sevilla.
Historically speaking, United have enjoyed the upper hand in this fixture. The Red Devils boast an impressive record at Old Trafford, winning 13 of their last 15 meetings with Villa on home soil.
Recent history, however, counts for little when considering the current state of Carrick’s side.
Even with their midweek victory over Roma, United remain a club in turmoil. Hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone, struggling with a mounting injury list and still without a convincing run of league form, the Red Devils look desperately short of confidence in the Premier League. Carrick, meanwhile, is still searching for his best starting XI, particularly in midfield, where regular rotation has become something of a recurring theme.
Defensively, things haven’t been much better. United have shipped 15 goals in just nine league games, highlighting a vulnerability that Villa will undoubtedly look to exploit.
Unai Emery’s men, meanwhile, may be languishing in mid-table, but they arrive with considerably more league momentum, having gone unbeaten in the competition since mid-September. That said, defensive frailties are hardly exclusive to United, with Villa conceding 13 goals and keeping just two clean sheets.
That could make Sunday’s encounter a fascinating battle of who can expose the other’s defensive shortcomings most effectively.
Can United contain the in-form Nicolas Jackson and prevent the Senegalese striker from exploiting the space in behind? Can Villa keep Bruno Fernandes quiet, denying the Portuguese playmaker the time and room to pick apart their defense and feed a confidence-filled Cunha?
On paper, neither side looks particularly convincing at the back, while both possess enough attacking quality to cause serious problems. All signs point towards an open, entertaining affair, with goals potentially on the menu at Old Trafford.
Prediction: Man Utd 2–2 Aston Villa
Carrick has a number of injury concerns to contend with heading into Sunday’s clash with Villa, meaning he may have to make a few adjustments to his preferred starting XI.
The most notable absentee is midfielder Carlos Baleba, whose absence is likely to pave the way for Youri Tielemans to start against his former club, potentially alongside Kobbie Mainoo in the middle of the park.
At the back, Luke Shaw remains sidelined until after the international break, while Patrick Dorgu is only just returning to full fitness. That leaves Diogo Dalot as the most likely candidate to fill in at left back.
He could be joined in defense by Harry Maguire and Ayden Heaven, with the latter coming in for the suspended Lisandro Martínez, while Leny Yoro is expected to continue at right back.
Further forward, Marcus Rashford is expected to miss out, while Benjamin Šeško remains sidelined through injury. That could open the door for an attacking trio of Shea Lacey, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, with captain Bruno Fernandes pulling the strings just behind them.
Man Utd predicted lineup vs. Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Yoro, Heaven, Maguire, Dalot; Tielemans, Mainoo; Lacey, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo.
Unai Emery has selection headaches of his own ahead of Villa’s trip to Old Trafford, with several key absentees potentially forcing a reshuffle.
Amadou Onana and Matteo Ruggeri are both ruled out through injury, while Matty Cash is suspended after collecting his fifth yellow card of the season against Fulham. Former United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka is hoping to recover in time to face his old club and replace Cash. Should he fail to make it, Lamare Bogarde could step in at right back.
Elsewhere, Victor Lindelöf is expected to partner Pau Torres at center back, with Ian Maatsen retaining his place on the left. In midfield, Leon Goretzka looks set to join Boubacar Kamara in a physically imposing double pivot, allowing captain John McGinn to operate further forward.
As for Villa’s attacking setup, Emery is unlikely to fix what isn’t broken. Alysson should retain his place on the right, with Johan Manzambi occupying the opposite flank and Nicolas Jackson leading the line.
Aston Villa predicted lineup vs. Man Utd (4-2-3-1): Suzuki; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen; Kamara, Barkley; Alysson, McGinn, Manzambi; Jackson.
Country |
TV Channel/Live Stream |
|---|---|
United States |
fuboTV, USA Network, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo |
Canada |
DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada, Fubo Sports Network Canada |
Mexico |
TNT Sports, Max Mexico |
United Kingdom |
Sky Go UK, NOW, SKY GO Extra, Sky Ultra HD, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League |
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