Preview: Garnacho to keep his place against Villa? United should start Pellistri too as it could work well for Ten Hag’s team

Getting three points at Villa Park is important

Aston Villa -v- Manchester United

Premier League

Villa Park, Birmingham

Sunday 6 November 2022, KO 14:00 GMT

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 – Form, Goals Scored & Assists

Real Sociedad 0-0 WDL, West Ham United 1-0 W, Sheriff Tiraspol 3-0 W, Chelsea 1-1 D, Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 W, Newcastle United 0-0 D

Goals: 7 – Marcus Rashford, 3 – Antony, Anthony Martial, Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho, 2 – Bruno Fernandes, 1 – Casemiro, Diogo Dalot, Fred, Own Goal, Scott McTominay

Assists: 5 – Christian Eriksen, 3 – Marcus Rashford, 2 – Anthony Martial, Luke Shaw, 1 – Casemiro, Diogo Dalot, Anthony Elanga, Bruno Fernandes, Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho

Aston Villa – Form, Goals Scored & Assists

Newcastle United 4-0 L, Brentford 4-0 W, Fulham 3-0 L, Chelsea 2-0 L, Nottingham Forest 1-1 D, Leeds United 0-0 D

Goals: 4 – Danny Ings, 3 – Leon Bailey, 2 – Douglas Luiz, Ollie Watkins, 1 – Emiliano Buendía, Lucas Digne, Jacob Ramsey, Ashley Young

Assists: 2 – Leon Bailey, Ollie Watkins, 1 – Emiliano Buendía, Danny Ings, Douglas Luiz, Jacob Ramsey

Previous Meetings & Connections

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 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.

Team News

Raphael Varane, Axel Tuanzebe and Brandon Williams have been ruled out of the visit to Villa Park due to injury. Bruno Fernandes is suspended for the future after he amassed five yellow cards so far this season. Anthony Martial has a 25% chance of featuring against Villa.

Jadon Sancho missed the trip to Spain to face Real Sociedad on Thursday due to illness and has a 50% chance of being involved this weekend. Antony has missed the last two matches due to injury and has a 25% chance of being involved in this match – so he’s likely out too.

Diego Carlos, Ludwig Augustinsson and Boubacar Kamara have all been ruled out of the visit of United because of injury. Emiliano Martinez has a 75% chance of being involved in the match, which suggests he will feature against United. Villa have no other problems.

Predicted Manchester United Starting XI – 4-2-3-1

De Gea;

Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw;

Casemiro, Eriksen;

Pellistri, Rashford, Garnacho;

Ronaldo

Predicted Aston Villa Starting XI – 4-2-3-1

Martinez;

Cash, Konsa, Mings, Young;

Dendoncker, Luiz;

Watkins, Buendia, Bailey;

Ings

Match Prediction

United and Villa have met 193 times in all competitions with United winning 102 times, drawing 41 times and losing 50 times. United are unbeaten in the last two matches, last losing on the 25 September 2021 in the Premier League but before they last lost back in 2009.

After that defeat in 2009, United went on an 18-match unbeaten run against Villa, winning 14 times and drawing four times. United will be seeking to do something similar following that defeat last season. It is important that United continue their current run in all competitions.

With two Premier League matches (Villa and Fulham) and one Carabao Cup match (Villa) lying in between now and the FIFA World Cup, it is important that United head into that break on a high continuing their unbeaten run, aiming to win all matches they play in, especially in the league.

Aston Villa 0-2 Manchester United

Written by John Walker

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I support Manchester United, the greatest English football team to have ever existed. Bruno Fernandes is the latest in a long line of players with great ability to play for the club. I idolised Bryan Robson, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, and Eric Cantona growing up.