Manchester United vs Aston Villa: Preview, Team News & Predictions
Manchester United will have a stern test of character when they host an upbeat Aston Villa side to Old Trafford on Sunday, 30th April.
After qualifying for the FA Cup final on penalties, the Red Devils surrendered a comfortable 2-0 lead in the second half at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, creating additional intrigue for the Champions League spots.
Regardless, Erik ten Hag’s side have turned Old Trafford into a fortress once again, as they are unbeaten in 14 league home games.
On the other side stand Aston Villa, who have lost just one of their nine away games under Unai Emery, thereby inviting a sizable challenge against the stricken Manchester United.
Only Arsenal have claimed more points than Villa since Emery took over the helm, while the fundamentalists of the team rely on compact, direct football marked by vertical passes and short bursts of attacking pressure.
As a result, the Villans have found the back of the net in each of their 20 matches under the Spanish mastermind.
If Manchester United can prevent Aston Villa from completing their first double over them in 68 years, they’ll tighten their grip on the top four, and could even potentially leapfrog Newcastle United for third place.
Team News
Manchester United
Luke Shaw has replaced Harry Maguire at center-half in the absence of the key pair of Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez. He’ll be tasked with the same job, accompanied by Victor Lindelof in the middle.
Bruno Fernandes remarkably shook off an injury scare to make the starting XI against Spurs. While he didn’t look overly uncomfortable on the pitch, it will be interesting to see if he is given the responsibility again.
Club starlet Alejandro Garnacho will return to team training following a spell on the sidelines. He also committed to his long-term future at the club by signing a new contract through 2028.
Aston Villa
This game comes too soon for Matty Cash, Philippe Coutinho, Leon Bailey, and summer signing Boubacar Kamara. All of them are set to rejoin training next week and eventually bolster the squad with a handful of games to go.
Predicted XI
Manchester United probable line-up (4-2-3-1):
De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Shaw, Malacia; Eriksen, Casemiro; Antony, Sancho, Martial; Rashford
Aston Villa probable line-up (4-2-3-1):
Martinez; Young, Konsa, Mings, Moreno; Dendoncker, Luiz; McGinn, Buendia, Ramsey; Watkins
Match Prediction
The two sides are repeatedly stepping up to the plate because they possess sharpshooters in Marcus Rashford and Ollie Watkins in either camp. The pair should continue the rich vein of form, and the result could be determined if one of them is kept quiet.
Predicted score: Manchester United 1-1 Aston Villa
-Roy Akarshak
Twitter: @RoyAkarshak
Photo: Ank Kumar. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.