Aston Villa -v- Manchester United
Premier League
Villa Park, Birmingham
Sunday 6 October 2024, KO 14:00 BST
Manchester United head to Villa Park where they will face Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon. Erik ten Hag is under a lot of pressure ahead of this match, the last before the second international break of the season. United’s results have not been good enough this season.
On Thursday evening, United drew 3-3 with FC Porto despite leading 2-0 after 20 minutes. Two goals in seven minutes in the first half saw Porto level then five minutes into the second half, they could what would have been the winner. Harry Maguire then levelled for United in injury time.
There has been a lot of talk in the media who suggested Ten Hag had two matches to save his job at United after the 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last weekend. United will have to go to Villa Park to win, despite Villa beating Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League already this week.
United – Form, Goals Scored & Assists
Porto 3-3 D, Spurs 3-0 L, Twente 1-1 D, Palace 0-0 D, Barnsley 7-0 W, Southampton 3-0 W
Goals: 4 – Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, 3 – Christian Eriksen, 1 – Amad, Antony, Matthijs de Ligt, Rasmus Hojlund, Harry Maguire, Joshua Zirkzee
Assists: 4 – Bruno Fernandes, 3 – Christian Eriksen, Alejandro Garnacho, 2 – Marcus Rashford, 1 – Amad, Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui
Villa – Form, Goals Scored & Assists
Bayern 1-0 W, Ipswich 2-2 D, Wycombe 2-1 W, Wolves 3-1 W, Young Boys 3-0 W, Everton 3-2 W
Goals: 6 – Jhon Durán, 4 – Ollie Watkins, 3 – Amadou Onana, 1 – Emiliano Buendía, Ezri Konsa, Jacob Ramsey, Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans
Assists: 3 – Youri Tielemans, Ollie Watkins, 2 – Lucas Digne, Morgan Rogers, 1 – Leon Bailey, Ross Barkley, John McGinn, Jacob Ramsey, Pau Torres
Previous Meetings & Connections
United and Villa have met 58 times in the Premier League. United have won 40 times, drawn 13 times with Villa winning five times. United have scored 106 goals in these matches, winning seven penalties; scoring five. Villa have scored 40 goals, winning one penalty, scoring it.
United have kept 28 clean sheets in these matches with Villa keeping seven. Discipline has been an issue in the matches against Villa. United players have been shown 87 yellow cards and three red cards. Villa players have been shown 84 yellow cards and four red cards.
Peter Schmeichel, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Mark Bosnich, Dwight Yorke, Ashley Young and Tom Cleverley have all played for United and Villa. Steve Bruce was a former manager for Villa and player for United and Roy Keane was a former assistant manager and player for United.
Team News
United: United have just two players ruled out ahead of the Villa clash. However, there are some doubt with Luke Shaw on his return from injury, which could see him back after the international break. Mason Mount and Kobbie Mainoo are doubts too – both could return this weekend.
Ruled Out: Tyrell Malacia (knee) and Leny Yoro (ankle/foot)
Suspended: None
Close to Returning: Luke Shaw (calf/shin/heel), Mason Mount (head) and Kobbie Mainoo (other)
Villa: Villa will have masses of confidence against United after beatign Bayern Munich in the Champions League. However, with many injuries, the quality on the pitch may take a hit with United having to travel to Birmingham needing nothing less than a victory in this match.
Ruled Out: Boubacar Kamara (knee), John McGinn (thigh) and Tyrone Mings (knee)
Suspended: None
Close to Returning: Amadou Onana (thigh), Jacob Ramsey (groin/hip/pelvic) and Leon Bailey (other)
Predicted United Starting XI – 4-2-3-1
Onana;
Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez, Dalot;
Eriksen, Ugarte;
Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford;
Hojlund
Predicted Villa Starting XI – 4-2-3-1
Martinez;
Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Digne;
Onana, Tielemans;
Bailey, Rogers, Ramsey;
Watkins
Match Prediction
United have been largely terrible this season and there is no difference from last season, despite many new arrivals and United also getting rid of a lot of the dead wood at the club. The tactics are impossible to see and United just don’t seem to be working well under Erik ten Hag’s system.
The media will continue to be rife with stories about the manager being sacked, as they have done this ever since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson and people love to read the negativity surrounding United and journalists love to create it as it is easy money and attention for them.
The Red Devils will need to keep their heads against this Villa side who are playing in the Champions League this season and unbeaten after two matches in the competition. Villa sit in fifth place with United languishing in 13th place with six points fewer than Villa. United need improvement and fast.
Aston Villa 1-2 Manchester United
Written by Paul
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