With United struggling to keep teams out at home, our Man United vs Aston Villa prediction is both teams to score (yes) at 10/13 with Grosvenor Sport.
Barring a slight blip at Southampton, United's Premier League campaign could hardly have gone any better so far and their performance at the London Stadium on Sunday was arguably their best of the season.
United needed to David De Gea to produce some heroics at the death but Jesse Lingard's winning goal only served to highlight the strength in depth Ole Gunnar Solskjær has at his disposal, although that summation could reasonably be questioned given what happened in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
At least one of Manchester City and Chelsea set to drop points in the other lunchtime kick off so United have an opportunity to put daylight between themselves and one (or both) of those rivals which, even at this stage of the season, will be a real confidence booster.
However, Aston Villa will be no pushover at Old Trafford. Dean Smith's side were far too good for Everton in the second half of last week's 3-0 win and they caused Chelsea more problems than any other side has managed the week before.
United gave most of their big guns a rest on Wednesday so they should be fit and ready to roar back into action but the Reds are still nothing like the finished article defensively, despite the addition of Raphael Varane.
United have only kept one clean sheet so far this season and they needed to ride their luck in the 1-0 win at Wolves, so Villa will at least fancy their chances of getting on the scoresheet, as they did in this fixture last term (albeit with Jack Grealish in their ranks).
Man United vs Aston Villa prediction
United have conceded in six of their last seven matches in all competitions this term and the last time they kept a clean sheet at Old Trafford was nine games ago (Granada in the Europa League).
Villa have twice created a bucket load of chances against Chelsea in the last fortnight and they put three past Everton last weekend, so expect them to cause United's wobbly rearguard problems.
With so much firepower on the pitch, the both teams to score (yes) bet at 10/13 looks a solid play.
*Readers of this column were in the money again last weekend when we tipped Man United to win and both teams to score.*
Recommended bet: Both teams to score - 10/13
Man United vs Aston Villa odds
Man United 2/5
Draw 4/1
Aston Villa 13/2
*Odds subject to change. Odds provided by Grosvenor Sport
Team News
Ole Gunnar Solskjær more or less has a full squad to choose from, although there remain doubts over Edinson Cavani who has still to feature this term.
David De Gea, Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Pogba, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Fred were not involved against West Ham in midweek but are expected to return to the starting line-up.
Aston Villa loanee Axel Tuanzebe is ineligible to play due to him being on loan from United.
Leon Bailey is a major doubt after suffering a quad injury when scoring against Everton while midfielder Morgan Sanson might also miss the Old Trafford trip after suffering a hamstring injury in the penalty shoot-out defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday.
Winger Trezeguet remains sidelined following knee surgery back in April.
Key Stats
- Manchester United have scored at least once in the last 18 meetings with Aston Villa.
- Manchester United have won seven of their last eight Old Trafford clashes with Aston Villa.
- Manchester United have missed nine big chances this term, whereas Aston Villa have only missed two.
- Aston Villa have made fewer tackles (61) than any other Premier League side so far this season.
- Paul Pogba (7) is has completed four more assists than nearest rival in the Premier League.
Emiliano Buendía has been dispossessed 13 times this season, three short of Watford's Ismaila Sarr, who tops that particular list.
Man United vs Aston Villa Head to Head
9 May, 2021: Aston Villa 1-3 Manchester United (Premier League)
1 Jan, 2021: Manchester United 2-1 Aston Villa (Premier League)
9 Jul, 2020: Aston Villa 0-3 Manchester United (Premier League)
1 Dec, 2019: Manchester United 2-2 Aston Villa (Premier League)
16 Apr, 2016: Manchester United 1-0 Aston Villa (Premier League)
