Manchester United vs Aston Villa: Match preview, betting tips and predictions

Manchester United vs Aston Villa: Match preview, betting tips and predictions

United players pay close attention to Raheem Sterling in their goalless draw at Old Trafford in December. (Photo credit: Premierleague.com)

 

Manchester United vs Aston Villa

Old Trafford

9:00pm

 

Manchester United will look to wish their fans a very happy New Year with a fixture that could take them to the top of the log if they win, against a troublesome Villa side and right on the very first day of the New Year, what a start to 2021.

 

2020 ended quite well for Manchester United, and more importantly for Marcus Rashford, he scored the first and the last goals for United in the year behind and the latest of his goals took the Red Devils to within three points of log leaders Liverpool albeit with a game in hand.

 

With the shambolic way United started the season, who would have thought at this stage they’d be in the mix for the title? But they won’t be carried away, they know it’s a marathon, not a sprint, they know what to do and they must do it if they want to win the league again for the first time since 2013.

 

Step forward Aston Villa, fans favorite for 2020, from walking on the tightest of ropes to survive the drop after the restart, to being the most dreaded outsiders in the season that isn’t new any longer, no one can boldly wish to file out against Villa, do they remind you of a certain Leicester in 2015?

Aston Villa held Chelsea to a 1-1 draw the last time out in their last game of 2020, Anwar El-Ghazi latched on to a Matty Cash cross and tapped one past Edouard Mendy in the Chelsea goal, the Egyptian is becoming a sensation, taking goal scoring burden off Jack Grealish.

 

Bruno Fernandes is arguably the best player in the English Premiership in 2020, he took the league by storm and helped Manchester United to Europe and shooting them up in the league this season as well, he will be the man to watch in the United squad, from incisive passes to runs in behind, he’s the man for United.

 

How will they line up? Tyron Mings would be available for Aston Villa after serving his ban following his red card against Palace and Dean Smith confirms Ross Barkley is available for selection as well but United will be without Edison Cavani who starts his three match ban following FA hammer over his social media comment that was deemed to be offensive few weeks ago.

 

Manchester United need the win as much as Villa do, it would be a cracker at Old Trafford but the hosts aren’t as formidable at home as they are away from home, coincidentally, Villa plays better away too, leaving us to wonder where this will tilt after 90 minutes.

 

If there’s one team that United enjoys beating, it’s Aston Villa, will they do it again?

 

Verdict: Both teams to score.