Ahead of our full Match Preview and Team News (available 1 hour before kick off), here are the key facts and stats prior to Aston Villa vs Manchester United.
KEY FACTS
- Villa lost 2-0 to Liverpool last time out, holding out for 71 minutes at Anfield.
- United put FIVE past Bournemouth on their last outing in the league.
- 4 points now separate Villa from West Ham & Watford and with it, safety.
- Dean Smith is now winless in ten consecutive games in all competitions with Villa.
- By contrast, Man Utd are on a 16 game unbeaten run.
- The visitors are also on a ten game undefeated run away from Old Trafford.
- However, they’ve won just five times away from home this season.
- Villa’s last victory came in January, over relegation rivals Watford.
- Jack Grealish is heavily linked with a switch to both Manchester sides.
- Any win at Villa Park for United would be their fourth consecutive victory.
- Villa did manage to hold United to a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford in December 2019.
- Aston Villa Premier League Form: LDLDLL
- Manchester United Premier League Form: DWDWWW
- Jack Grealish and Tyrone Mings have been declared fit for Villa.
- Frederic Guilbert is available too, but Engels and Targett remain out.
- Pepe Reina is expected to start in goal after Orjan Nyland was dropped against Liverpool.
- United are possible to be without their defender Lindelof for the trip to Villa Park.
- Former Villa loanee Axel Tuanzebe and Phil Jones will definitely not feature.
- Villa have the worst defensive record in the Premier League, conceding 62 times.
- However, the defensive resolve has improved since the end of lockdown.
- Villa are currently 18th – United are in 5th in the Premier League.
- United are just 2 points behind Chelsea and 2 behind Leicester.
- Villa have not beaten Man Utd since 2009.
- United have not lost at Villa Park in their last 21 visits.
- United have scored 12 goals in their 4 games since the league resumed.
- Villa haven’t managed to score in 5 of our last 7 attempts.
- Solskjær has named the same starting XI for the last 3 games.
- Villa by contrast are rotating the team through urgency and increasing desperation.
- United will benefit from an extra days rest, having played last Saturday. Villa played Sunday.
- Rashford and Martial have both struck 15 goals this term for United.
- Fernandes has scored 6, assisted 5, in just 9 appearances.
- Dean Smith has endured Villa taking just 2 points from 15 available since restart.
- Match Details: Thursday 9th July – Kick off 20:15pm (GMT)
- Predicted Line Up: Aston Villa: Reina; Konsa, Hause, Mings, Taylor; Luiz, McGinn, Hourihane; El Ghazi, Grealish, Samatta.
- Predicted Line Up: Manchester United: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelöf, Maguire, Shaw; Matic, Pogba; Greenwood, Fernandes, Rashford; Martial.
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Sources: Sports Mole, Telegraph, WhoScored, 90Min.