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Premier League Preview: Aston Villa - Manchester United
Villans look to complete Premier League double over United...
09-Feb-2010 10:52:00 PM
By Stephen Darwin
Kick-off: Thursday, February 11, 2010 – 01:15 IST
Villa Park, Birmingham
In what is becoming an all too familiar scenario this season, Manchester United take on Aston Villa with the chance of regaining top spot in the Premier League - if only for 15 minutes.
With Chelsea travelling to Goodison Park to tackle Everton in one of the two late kick-off's on Wednesday evening, United can leapfrog Carlo Ancelotti's Blues with a win at Villa Park - a ground that has proved a happy hunting ground for the Red Devils in the past.
Sir Alex Ferguson's charges have won nine of their last 13 Premier League games away to the Villans, although Martin O'Neill's current Villa side are arguably stronger than they have ever been in seasons gone by.
Having picked up the notable scalp of beating the champions at Old Trafford back in December, Villa have only lost two games in all competitions since then and are currently on an eight-match unbeaten run.
United haven't lost in the league since their capitulation at the hands of Fulham in the middle of December and, with an attack spearheaded by the superlative Wayne Rooney, have been in scintillating form of late.
Villa certainly have as good a chance as ever of claiming a Champions League spot this season and victory over United would undoubtedly provide a decent springboard for O'Neill's side to go on and mount an assault on fourth place.
FORM GUIDE
Aston Villa
6 Feb: Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 Aston Villa (Premier League)
30 Jan: Fulham 0-2 Aston Villa (Premier League)
27 Jan: Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal (Premier League)
23 Jan: Aston Villa 3-2 Brighton (FA Cup)
20 Jan: Aston Villa 6-4 Blackburn Rovers (League Cup)
Manchester United
6 Feb: Manchester United 5-0 Portsmouth (Premier League)
31 Jan: Arsenal 1-3 Manchester United (Premier League)
27 Jan: Manchester United 3-1 Manchester City (League Cup)
23 Jan: Manchester United 4-0 Hull City (Premier League)
19 Jan: Manchester City 2-1 Manchester United (League Cup)
TEAM NEWS
Aston Villa
England front man Emile Heskey is a doubt with a groin injury after he limped out of Saturday's 0-0 draw with Tottenham Hotspur.
John Carew is likely to step in to replace the former Liverpool man but left-back Stephen Warnock remains sidelined with a shin problem.
Possible starting XI: Friedel; L.Young, Collins, Dunne, Cuellar; Downing, Petrov, Milner, A.Young; Agbonlahor, Carew.
Manchester United
United continue to have problems at centre-back with Wes Brown and Jonny Evans likely to start at the heart of defence with Rio Ferdinand still banned and Nemanja Vidic doubtful with a leg injury.
Ferguson could call upon experienced duo Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes having rested the pair during Saturday's 5-0 demolition of Portsmouth.
Possible starting XI: Van der Sar; Evra, Brown, Evans, Rafael; Giggs, Scholes, Fletcher, Carrick, Valencia; Rooney.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Aston Villa - Gabriel Agbonlahor
Agbonlahor seems to enjoy playing against Manchester United far more than most having netted in four consecutive seasons against the Red Devils and he'll be desperate to build on the winning goal he notched at Old Trafford at the back end of last year on Wednesday night.
The 23-year-old's hopes of gaining a place in Fabio Capello's England squad for this summer's World Cup are surely fading although a flurry of goals before the season's end may just see him sneak on the plane jetting to South Africa.
Manchester United - Wayne Rooney
Having admitted that he's in the form of his life at present after scoring seven goals in his last four games, Rooney will once again take centre stage at Villa Park on Wednesday.
England's hopes of World Cup glory may just be resting squarely on his shoulders come June but with United pressing for honours both domestically and in Europe, the ex-Everton star's immediate attention will be focused on improving an impressive record that has seen him score five Premier League goals in his last six starts against the Villans.
PREDICTION
Villa's recent record of having lost just once in five Premier League games against the so-called 'Big Four' and given that they have the best defensive record in the league to boot, makes this a really difficult encounter to call.
That said, given that O'Neill's side have failed to score in their last three home games in the league and with Rooney's current form thrown into the mix, United should just come out on top.
Aston Villa 1–2 Manchester United
Villa Park, Birmingham
In what is becoming an all too familiar scenario this season, Manchester United take on Aston Villa with the chance of regaining top spot in the Premier League - if only for 15 minutes.
With Chelsea travelling to Goodison Park to tackle Everton in one of the two late kick-off's on Wednesday evening, United can leapfrog Carlo Ancelotti's Blues with a win at Villa Park - a ground that has proved a happy hunting ground for the Red Devils in the past.
Sir Alex Ferguson's charges have won nine of their last 13 Premier League games away to the Villans, although Martin O'Neill's current Villa side are arguably stronger than they have ever been in seasons gone by.
Having picked up the notable scalp of beating the champions at Old Trafford back in December, Villa have only lost two games in all competitions since then and are currently on an eight-match unbeaten run.
United haven't lost in the league since their capitulation at the hands of Fulham in the middle of December and, with an attack spearheaded by the superlative Wayne Rooney, have been in scintillating form of late.
Villa certainly have as good a chance as ever of claiming a Champions League spot this season and victory over United would undoubtedly provide a decent springboard for O'Neill's side to go on and mount an assault on fourth place.
FORM GUIDE
Aston Villa
6 Feb: Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 Aston Villa (Premier League)
30 Jan: Fulham 0-2 Aston Villa (Premier League)
27 Jan: Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal (Premier League)
23 Jan: Aston Villa 3-2 Brighton (FA Cup)
20 Jan: Aston Villa 6-4 Blackburn Rovers (League Cup)
Manchester United
6 Feb: Manchester United 5-0 Portsmouth (Premier League)
31 Jan: Arsenal 1-3 Manchester United (Premier League)
27 Jan: Manchester United 3-1 Manchester City (League Cup)
23 Jan: Manchester United 4-0 Hull City (Premier League)
19 Jan: Manchester City 2-1 Manchester United (League Cup)
TEAM NEWS
Aston Villa
England front man Emile Heskey is a doubt with a groin injury after he limped out of Saturday's 0-0 draw with Tottenham Hotspur.
John Carew is likely to step in to replace the former Liverpool man but left-back Stephen Warnock remains sidelined with a shin problem.
Possible starting XI: Friedel; L.Young, Collins, Dunne, Cuellar; Downing, Petrov, Milner, A.Young; Agbonlahor, Carew.
Manchester United
United continue to have problems at centre-back with Wes Brown and Jonny Evans likely to start at the heart of defence with Rio Ferdinand still banned and Nemanja Vidic doubtful with a leg injury.
Ferguson could call upon experienced duo Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes having rested the pair during Saturday's 5-0 demolition of Portsmouth.
Possible starting XI: Van der Sar; Evra, Brown, Evans, Rafael; Giggs, Scholes, Fletcher, Carrick, Valencia; Rooney.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Aston Villa - Gabriel Agbonlahor
Agbonlahor seems to enjoy playing against Manchester United far more than most having netted in four consecutive seasons against the Red Devils and he'll be desperate to build on the winning goal he notched at Old Trafford at the back end of last year on Wednesday night.
The 23-year-old's hopes of gaining a place in Fabio Capello's England squad for this summer's World Cup are surely fading although a flurry of goals before the season's end may just see him sneak on the plane jetting to South Africa.
Manchester United - Wayne Rooney
Having admitted that he's in the form of his life at present after scoring seven goals in his last four games, Rooney will once again take centre stage at Villa Park on Wednesday.
England's hopes of World Cup glory may just be resting squarely on his shoulders come June but with United pressing for honours both domestically and in Europe, the ex-Everton star's immediate attention will be focused on improving an impressive record that has seen him score five Premier League goals in his last six starts against the Villans.
PREDICTION
Villa's recent record of having lost just once in five Premier League games against the so-called 'Big Four' and given that they have the best defensive record in the league to boot, makes this a really difficult encounter to call.
That said, given that O'Neill's side have failed to score in their last three home games in the league and with Rooney's current form thrown into the mix, United should just come out on top.
Aston Villa 1–2 Manchester United
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