Aston Villa v Manchester United: match preview

Saturday, November 13

Aston Villa v Manchester United
Villa Park
Kick-off: 12.45PM
TV: Live Sky Sports 2 & Highlights, BBC1 Match of the Day.

Aston Villa (Probable, 4-4-1-1): Friedel; L Young, Dunne, Collins, Warnock; Albrighton, Clark, Bannan, Downing; A Young; Agbonlahor.
Manchester United (Probable, 4-2-3-1): Van der Sar; Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Fletcher, Carrick, Scholes; Nani, Park; Berbatov.
Referee: Mike Dean. Matches: 10. R1 Y30.

Tale of the game

On Wednesday United wasted the opportunity to maintain the gap behind Chelsea to two points, dropping instead to four points adrift of the leaders with the goalless draw away to Manchester City.

United have drawn half of their games, the first time they have drawn six of their opening 12 since the 2004-05 season. On that occasion United had only 18 points – compared to 24 now – and were seventh in the Premier League.

The midweek draw at Eastlands extended United’s unbeaten league run to 17 games, while it extended their record start in the Premier League without loss to 12, three short of the club record.

United also have the best away record of any Premier League team at Aston Villa. In a total of 18 visits, they have won 11, drawn five and lost just twice at Villa Park. Villa last beat United at home in the league in August 1995.

Though they have drawn their last two, they had won the previous six and have only ever conceded more than one goal there once – the 3-1 defeat in 1995.

Last season Carlos Cuéllar gave Villa the lead, only for fellow defender James Collins to net an own goal and hand United a point, though having had Nani sent off in the 29th minute, the visitors were grateful for that.

On Wednesday, Villa beat Blackpool 3-2 to claim only their second league win under Gerard Houllier and their first in six.

Villa could recall Gabriel Agbonlahor after the striker returned, as a substitute, against Blackpool. But they miss Steve Sidwell, Nigel Reo-Coker, John Carew, Emile Heskey, Stiliyan Petrov, Fabian Delph and Andreas Weimann.

United, meanwhile, are without Owen Hargreaves, Anderson, Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney and Antonio Valencia.

Last season: United 0 Villa 1, Villa 1 United 1.

Stat of the game: In their last eight league visits to Villa Park, United have concede just two goals.

Betting tip: Has to be a United win. Try 2-1 to the men in red at 14-1.