Premier League: Aston Villa vs Manchester United live
Preview: Aston Villa vs Manchester United
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is facing a critical moment as he is under significant pressure to secure a favorable outcome in the Premier League match against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Sunday at 1:00pm GMT. The Red Devils squandered a two-goal lead before managing to earn a late equalizer in a 3-3 Europa League draw with Porto on Thursday. This comes shortly after Unai Emery’s team achieved a major upset in the Champions League by defeating Bayern Munich.
The Unai Emery era at Aston Villa reached new heights this week, as the team secured a 1-0 victory over six-time European champions Bayern Munich, marking their second win in the UEFA Champions League. This win is particularly remarkable considering Villa was promoted to the Premier League just five years ago and was struggling against relegation before Emery took over in late 2022. Since his first match, a home win against Manchester United, the fans are optimistic about continuing their success as they aim to keep up with the league leaders. So far this season, only Arsenal has managed to defeat Villa in the Premier League, making this their best start to a season after six matches since 2008/09.
Erik ten Hag, who has faced constant criticism, is under pressure regarding his future at Old Trafford after a tough week. The Red Devils suffered a disappointing 3-0 loss to Tottenham and then let a 2-0 lead slip against Porto, ultimately needing a last-minute equalizer to secure a draw. Currently, United sits in a disappointing 14th place in the Premier League, winning only two games so far this season in the league.
Head-to-head
In their last five encounters, Manchester United has secured four victories over Aston Villa, while Villa managed to win one match. The latest clash took place at Villa Park last season, where Manchester United triumphed with a score of 2-1.
Prediction
Since Villa played at home on Wednesday and Man United played away on Thursday, Emery’s team is likely to have the advantage of fresher players on Sunday. Meanwhile, Man United still seems to lack a clear identity and cohesion. Although the Red Devils have had success against Villa in the past, we believe Emery’s squad is poised to maintain their winning momentum and secure a challenging victory against Ten Hag’s men.
