Manchester United v Aston Villa: FPL tips, predicted line-up, team news and match preview

Aston Villa face Manchester United on Sunday as fourth visit third in the Premier League. They’re level on points but momentum appears to be in the corner of the home team.

Villa haven’t won in their last three Premier League fixtures. United lost their last game but have been clearly improved under interim head coach Michael Carrick, who’s overseen their climb in the league table. They’re now above Villa on goal difference.

Manager Unai Emery was boosted by Thursday’s win over Lille in the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie and by the return of captain John McGinn from injury.

Aston Villa v History

The reverse fixture might have been a Villa win but their record at Old Trafford is still haunted by decades of ghosts. The overall United hoodoo might have been dealt with to a degree but away games have been atrocious for the entirety of the Premier League era and beyond.

Villa have lost the last five meetings at Old Trafford in all competitions and have won twice – twice – since a year before I was born, when Villa won there for the first time since nineteen-bloody-fifty-four.

The last four players to score goals in Villa wins at Old Trafford, in reverse chronological order: Kortney Hause, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Peter Withe, Johnny Dixon. That’s the great one-club man and genuine Villa icon Johnny Dixon, born in 1923, who would later lift the FA Cup as Villa’s captain against the Red Devils in 1957.

Dixon passed away in January 2009, which means he saw one win at Old Trafford in the rest of his life.

Still, fingers crossed, eh?

Villa team news and FPL tips

Emery has McGinn available again and might also be able to call upon right-back Matty Cash, who will undergo a late fitness test before Sunday’s match.

If Cash doesn’t make it, Lamare Bogarde will continue on the right. Andrés García was also in the matchday squad on Thursday. Don’t be tempted by him, FPL managers – Bogarde will be the guy.

Ross Barkley and Alysson are not part of Villa’s Europa League squad but are eligible to feature at Old Trafford. Jadon Sancho will not – as a loanee, he is not able to play against his parent club.

Emery revealed on Friday that Youri Tielemans is getting close to rejoining the first team squad after a spell of training on his own, but Boubacar Kamara is of course out for the remainder of the season.

Villa predicted line-up v Manchester United

I see no reason to anticipate unforced changes to Emery’s line-up for the game at Old Trafford on Sunday. Ollie Watkins scored the winner in France to answer the big question, albeit a question Emery doesn’t seem to be asking himself in any case.

Sancho’s absence could bring Leon Bailey back into the starting eleven but (a) shouldn’t and (b) won’t. Having McGinn available makes that an easy fix for the manager too.

Equally, McGinn having a spot to fill further upfield reduces any minuscule likelihood of one of the midfield pair making way to accommodate him.

As ever, I’ve no idea what Emery will do with his defence. I’ve just predicted the central defensive duo I believe is now seen as the ideal first choice, along with the right-back who played on Thursday and the left-back who didn’t from the start.

Where to watch Man Utd v Villa

Villa’s away game against United will be available to watch on Sky Sports Main Event.

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➡️ How to watch Manchester United v Aston Villa in the UK: kick-off time, live streams and TV channels

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