Fixtures
- Aston Villa Vs. Manchester United – Sun, Feb 11th 2024, 16:30
At A Glance
After suffering FA Cup disappointment in midweek, Aston Villa are aiming to bounce back against Manchester United at Villa Park.
Chelsea progressed to round five with a 3-1 win in Wednesday’s replay, but Unai Emery’s team are well-placed to continue their strong Premier League season.
Following last weekend’s 5-0 thrashing of Sheffield United, Villa sit in fifth place, eight points above Sunday’s opponents.
Manchester United have had a full week to prepare for the game after a 3-0 victory against West Ham United last time out.
The win added to a strong start to 2024 for the Red Devils which has seen them put together a five-match unbeaten run.
Erik ten Hag’s team have picked up 16 of their 38 points on the road this season, winning five, drawing one and losing five.
Standout Stats
Manchester United are looking for a fourth consecutive victory over Aston Villa in all competitions, having come back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in the most recent meeting on Boxing Day.
Villa won this fixture 3-1 last season, ending a 23-game winless home run in the Premier League against United.
Manchester United are looking for a fourth consecutive win in all competitions for the first time this season.
Villa last earned consecutive home league victories against the Red Devils between 1966 and 1977, when they won five in a row.
The Red Devils have won four of their opening five matches in 2024 after ending last year with two wins in nine.
Aston Villa have won nine of their 11 home league matches this season – only leaders Liverpool have a better record.
Erik ten Hag’s side have won just one of their last five away league fixtures (D1, L3).
Villa have a joint-high 30 home goals in this season’s top flight, scoring in every match at Villa Park.
United are unbeaten in their last 24 Premier League matches in February (W15, D9), last losing a league match in this month in 2018.
Villa have scored 49 Premier League goals this campaign, only two short of their total last season.
Rasmus Højlund has now scored in five of United’s last six games in all competitions.
This will be Unai Emery’s 100th Premier League game.
Bruno Fernandes has scored a goal on all three of his visits to Villa Park and has seven goals in total in this fixture home and away.
Ollie Watkins, with 11 goals and 10 assists, is the first player to reach double figures for both in any of Europe’s top five leagues this season.
He’s also the first Villa player to achieve this in a top-flight campaign since Dwight Yorke in 1995-96.
The Last Meeting
Aston Villa fell to a 3-2 Boxing Day defeat at Manchester United having held at two-goal advantage at the break.
Two goals in five minutes midway through the first half put Villa firmly in control at Old Trafford as John McGinn’s free-kick evaded everyone and Leander Dendoncker registered his first goal for the club with an instinctive flick from close range.
But Alejandro Garnacho turned the encounter in the hosts’ favour after the restart as he bagged a second-half brace to level the clash in the 71st minute.
Rasmus Højlund then volleyed home the winner off the inside of a post with eight minutes remaining to complete the turnaround.
Team News
Deadline Day signing Joe Gauci is available for the squad after returning from the Asia Cup.
Lucas Digne and Pau Torres are making good progress but Ezri Konsa and Jhon Duran remain out.
Lisandro Martinez has been ruled out for an extended period of time, while Mason Mount and Tyrell Malacia are not fit to return yet.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka is a doubt for the game and Anthony Martial remains sidelined.
The Boss
“My concern and analysis of them is trying to understand their gameplan and to understand their qualities, collectively and individually. We have to try to stop them, starting with the goalkeeper because his build up is fantastic. Their centre-backs like to play, building up and controlling ball possession, trying to get good combinations on the pitch. Luke Shaw is very dangerous and Diogo Dalot is in a good moment. Casemiro is a very important player for them; they have very good wingers and strikers and that is my concern. The most important thing for me, individually and collectively, as a coach is to prepare trying to stop them.” – Unai Emery
