Our betting expert expects a thrilling encounter between two sides in the top half of the table, with the hosts coming out on top.
Best bets for Aston Villa vs Man Utd
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Our analysis: Form of both teams
- Score prediction: Aston Villa 3-1 Man Utd
- Goalscorers prediction: Aston Villa: Morgan Rogers, Emi Buendia, Ollie Watkins, Man Utd: Matheus Cunha
If Aston Villa’s challenge for the Premier League title wasn’t being taken seriously, it certainly is now. The Villains have consistently passed every test this season. Last week, they came from behind twice to beat West Ham 3-2 at the London Stadium.
Winning matches that way is the kind of form expected of potential champions. Currently, Unai Emery has his team working perfectly together, and they will not leave the title race easily.
Much like Leicester City in 2015/16, people often doubt early challengers, believing their form will drop at crucial moments. However, just one week before Christmas, Villa are only three points behind the leaders, Arsenal. A win in this match is crucial for them to stay close to the top spot.
Meanwhile, Manchester United will regret their result on Monday night. They lost the lead three times in a 4-4 draw against Bournemouth. While it was an entertaining game to watch, it was a terrible result for their fans. A victory in that game would have put them within four points of Sunday’s hosts.
Now, Ruben Amorim's men must travel to Villa Park in hopes of maintaining their historical dominance over their opponents. A win for United would help them close the gap on Villa and could see them move into fourth place by the end of the weekend.
Probable lineups for Aston Villa vs Manchester United
Aston Villa expected lineup: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Lindelof, Maatsen, Kamara, Onana, McGinn, Tielemans, Rogers, Watkins
Manchester United expected lineup: Lammens, Yoro, Heaven, Shaw, Dalot, Mainoo, Fernandes, Dorgu, Mount, Cunha, Sesko
Stats suggest a high-scoring game
Aston Villa’s attack has been performing very well recently. They have averaged 2.13 goals per game in their last eight Premier League matches. This is 36.5% higher than their average for the whole season. Defensively, they have conceded an average of 1.06 goals per game this season.
This should encourage Amorim’s men, who are performing much better in the final third than they did last season. United’s last eight matches recorded an average of 2.38 goals per game, which is 26.6% higher than their season average. However, they’ve scored 14 goals and conceded 14 goals in away games, which demonstrates their lack of consistency at the back.
The Red Devils have failed to keep a clean sheet in their away league matches. In fact, both teams have scored in 88% of those matches. Similarly, each of Villa’s last four fixtures across all competitions saw both teams find the back of the net.
- Aston Villa vs Man Utd Betting Tip 1: BTTS - Yes at odds of 1.56 on Betway
Villa aim to break United's historical dominance
Villa will be aware that Manchester United have beaten them more than any other team in Premier League history. However, the Villans currently have great momentum, having won nine consecutive games across all competitions. In fact, Villa are aiming to win ten or more games in a row for the first time in over 100 years.
With nine consecutive victories at Villa Park, there is a strong chance they will rewrite history on Sunday. United’s 41 league head-to-head wins are the second-highest number of wins by one side against another in the competition. That record is only beaten by their own record against Everton.
However, this United team is very different from the ones that have visited Villa Park in the past. It’s worth noting that the hosts only lost one league game at home this term, having already beaten title rivals Manchester City and Arsenal at their stadium.
Only the Cityzens have earned more points at home in 2025 than Aston Villa. It’s time for them to change history, and this weekend offers them the chance to show their quality to the rest of the division.
- Aston Villa vs Man Utd Betting Tip 2: 1x2 - Aston Villa at odds of 2.14 on Betway
Slow start for the hosts
One clear trend for Emery’s men this season is that they start games slowly. They have led at halftime in only four of their 16 league games, which is just 25% of the time. However, they come on strong in the second period, with 60% of all their goals arriving after halftime.
This trend gives the Red Devils an opportunity to take an early lead. Further encouragement comes from the fact that 35% of the goals Villa have conceded in the league occurred within the first 15 minutes.
The hosts scored first in 38% of league matches, which is below the division’s average of 48%. Meanwhile, Amorim's team have scored first in 62% of their away Premier League matches, suggesting they are likely to find the net first in this match.
- Aston Villa vs Man Utd Betting Tip 3: First goal - Man Utd to score first at odds of 2.18 on Betway