Confirmed XI: Garnacho keeps his place; van de Beek starts; Ronaldo leads the line; Martial on the bench against Villa

Manchester United go head to head with Aston Villa at Villa Park in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon. Erik ten Hag’s side are undefeated in their last nine matches, winning seven and drawing two – keeping a clean sheet in six off the matches. It is good form for United.

Villa have recently lost Steven Gerrard and gained Unai Emery, formerly of Sevilla and Arsenal as their new manager. Villa sit in 16th place in the Premier League before any of this weekend’s matches have been played with United sitting in fifth place – eight points off Arsenal.

United will need to maintain their current form ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this month and are on a three match winning streak which added to their nine-match unbeaten run shows a massing change to United’s fortunes based on their start earlier this season.

Manchester United

De Gea;

Dalot, Lindelof, Martinez, Shaw;

Casemiro, Eriksen;

Rashford, van de Beek, Garnacho;

Ronaldo

Substitutes

Dubravka; Maguire, Malacia; Fred, Pellistri, McTominay; Martial, Elanga, Shoretire

Aston Villa

Martinez;

Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne;

Dendoncker, Luiz;

Ramsey, Buendia, Bailey;

Watkins

Substitutes

Olsen; Chambers, Augustinsson, Young, Bednarek; McGann, Sanson, Samara; Ings

United and Villa have met 54 times in the Premier League. United have won 37 times, drawing 13 times with Villa winning four times. United have scored 99 goals, winning seven penalties, scoring five. Villa have scored 34 goals, winning one penalties, scoring it.

United have kept a total of 27 clean sheets with Villa keeping seven. There have been some disciplinary issues with United players shown 79 yellow cards and three red cards. Villa players have been shown 75 yellow cards and four red cards. United need to keep winning in the Premier League.

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.

Written by John Walker