Aston Villa welcome Manchester United to Villa Park on Sunday as Unai Emery looks to mastermind another Premier League win before the second international break of the season.
Aston Villa enjoyed a momentous night as they beat Bayern Munich 1-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday but Unai Emery will have been keen to ensure his players quickly turned their focus to Manchester United.
To be a top side you have to be up for every game and the fact it is a home game against Manchester United makes it easier for Emery to get his players motivated to go again.
Villa know that if they win and Chelsea fail to beat Nottingham Forest then they will go into the break fourth in the Premier League and within two points of Liverpool in first place, so there is plenty riding on this game.
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Aston Villa team news against Man Utd
Emery has not made too many changes to his side in the league this season but his hand may be forced against United.
John McGinn remains out with a hamstring injury and long-term injury absentees Tyrone Mings and Boubacar Kamara are edging closer to a return but won’t feature for the first-team just yet.
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Jacob Ramsey came off injured in the first-half against Bayern to be replaced by Leon Bailey who himself was replaced in the second-half.
Emery offered an update on both players on Friday, saying: “Both, they are, now, doubts. I don’t know if they are going to be available for Sunday.
“Tomorrow we will train. But they are so, so tight. If they are available on Sunday, they’re not going to be 100 per cent fit.”
Amadou Onana has started every Premier League game since signing but also limped off on Wednesday night and Emery confirmed: “He is a doubt but I think he will be available.”
Aston Villa predicted lineup for Man Utd clash
Villa have the opportunity to compound United’s misery after a dismal display against Tottenham Hotspur was followed by a 3-3 draw against Porto in the Europa League in midweek.
Emi Martinez will continue in goal as Villa’s undisputed number one and could see an unchanged defence ahead of him despite question marks over Diego Carlos’ place in the side.
In midfield Emery has real decisions to make given the niggles that Onana, Bailey and Ramsey all have.
Onana should still start and will reprise his partnership with Youri Tielemans at the heart of the midfield and perhaps Ross Barkley could join them from a hybrid centre-midfield and left midfield position given the fact neither Bailey or Ramsey are likely to start.
Alternatively, Emi Buendia could come into the side to operate on the right of midfield, with the “sublime” Jaden Philogene rewarded for his excellent display against Bayern with another start.
Morgan Rogers will continue in the second striker role in which he has performed so well this season as Emery resists the temptation to start Jhon Duran despite yet more heroics against Bayern, meaning Ollie Watkins will lead the line.
With that in mind, here is how we predict Aston Villa will line up against Manchester United.
Aston Villa (4-4-2): Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Digne; Philogene, Tielemans, Onana, Barkley; Rogers, Watkins
