Game Week 30 Predictions: United to beat Villa at Old Trafford

Premier League preview: Man Utd vs Aston Villa at Old Trafford for CL spot, United respond Newcastle loss, Villa Europa focus; verdict United to win.

Manchester United could strengthen their hold on the third spot with a win over Aston Villa on Sunday. Will the Red Devils get the job done? (Photo credit: Sky Sports)

 Manchester United vs. Aston Villa

Old Trafford Stadium

3:00pm

The race to finish in the top five on the Premier League log is well and truly on, with Manchester United, Aston Villa, Liverpool, and Chelsea all in the running.

The game at Old Trafford on Sunday represents a six-pointer. Manchester United can steer clear of Aston Villa and the rest of the chasing pack with a home win over Unai Emery's Aston Villa. The Red Devils cannot afford to miss the opportunity to go clear in the race for third.

Aston Villa has a date on Thursday with Lille in the Europa League. Unai Emery's side won the first leg in France and can finish off the job on Thursday. The focus will be on Manchester United on Sunday, but Aston Villa will keep an eye on the midweek game.

Manchester United lost for the first time under Michael Carrick last weekend. More is expected from the Red Devils because they only have the league to play for after crashing out of the FA Cup and League Cup at the first hurdle.

With the league title already completely out of United's sights, playing in the Champions League next season is next on the cards. Aston Villa hasn't won in the league since January; United can win this one to become the favorite for the third spot.

Injuries haven't been kind to Aston Villa. The likes of Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans, and Matty Cash are all out of this one. John McGinn returned on Thursday after ten weeks of absence, and his presence helped Villa past the French club.

On Sunday, it will be a game of who wants it more. Manchester United knows its ambition; the Red Devils cannot afford to let their loss to Newcastle last weekend define their season. They must respond against Aston Villa.

For Villa, it's a case of priority. They know there's a chance they can go on to win the Europa League with Unai Emery's experience in the competition. Returning to the Champions League is huge for Villa; a win here would be immense.

Bruno Fernandes will be key for the home side. The Portuguese has created more chances than anyone else in the league this season; with eight games left to play, Fernandes could break the record for the most assists in a season, which is currently held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

Morgan Rogers once again will be the shining star for Aston Villa. The England playmaker hasn't produced much in recent games, but you can't put it past him to deliver the goods for the visitors on Sunday.

Verdict: United to beat Villa