Aston Villa will be hoping to shine brightly under the famous Villa Park floodlights on Friday night as they take on Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United.
Villa’s opening home game of the season is heading towards a sellout but has been moved to Friday on police advice. An English Defence League rally is taking place in Walsall on Saturday and West Midlands Police were concerned it would place its resources under too much strain.
What is sure to be a fiesty atmosphere will provide the perfect backdrop for Tim Sherwood’s first major managerial test of the season. He will be fully aware that United boast an imperious record at Villa Park and the title chasers are sure to fancy their chances in the second city once more. In the last 39 Premier League matches between the sides, Villa have triumphed just once.
It has been a summer of change for both Villa and United and despite recording 1-0 victories last weekend, there was plenty of evidence to suggest that United also remain a little rusty.
For Villa, excitement levels have reached a crescendo not seen in recent times with 19-year-old Barcelona starlet Adama Traore expected to sign in a £7 million deal imminently. The game could give Villa an early indication on how long their new signings will take to get up to speed with the hustle and bustle of the Premier League.
United, meanwhile, will want to put down an early marker in the race for the Premier League title after hesitant starts for champions Chelsea and Arsenal.
Key Battle – Micah Richards vs Wayne Rooney
New Villa captain Micah Richards will have to keep Wayne Rooney quiet if the Midlands outfit are to come away with a result. Rooney looks rejuvenated as United’s central striker and it was his mere presence on Saturday which forced Kyle Walker into conceding the telling own goal at Old Trafford.
Richards impressed during Villa’s win on the South Coast and is enjoying his role in the heart of the defence. However, questions still remain over whether Richards’ best position is at centre-half or right-back. He has the perfect opportunity to answer those questions when he faces the best English striker in the league.
Team News
Despite his lack of match fitness, Rudy Gestede will be pushing for his first Villa start after coming off the bench to such great effect at the Vitality Stadium. If Sherwood does give Gestede the nod, Gabby Agbonlahor is likely to push out wide with either Scott Sinclair or new boy Jordan Ayew dropping to the bench. Alan Hutton may also come in for Leandro Bacuna to shore up the defence and nullify Ashley Young’s threat down the wing. The rest of the team is expected to be unchanged with Richards, Jordan Amavi, Idrissa Gueye and Jordan Veretout all set for home debuts.
Carles Gil and Jack Grealish have been back in training for Villa this week but will not make the bench as they build up their match fitness following soft tissue injuries. Jores Okore remains sidelined.
Aston Villa Expected XI (4-2-3-1): Guzan (GK); Amavi, Clark, Richards, Hutton; Gueye, Westwood; Sinclair, Veretout, Agbonlahor; Gestede.
The Red Devils are expected to name an unchanged side after their 1-0 win against Spurs. The game will come too soon for Bastian Schweinsteiger and United will have to do without Phil Jones once more. Jones is still suffering with thrombosis which means stand-in centre-half Daley Blind perhaps has the unenviable task of keeping tabs on Gestede. Marouane Fellaini is still suspended and will watch on from the stands.
Manchester United Expected XI (4-2-3-1): Romero (GK); Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Shaw; Carrick, Schneiderlin; Mata, Memphis, Young; Rooney.
Head-to-Head
Aston Villa and Manchester United have played each other 159 times. United have dominated over half of these encounters, winning 83. Villa have triumphed in 38.
Villa last beat United in the 2009-10 season after recording a 1-0 win at Old Trafford. The last home victory came in the 1995-96 season which prompted the former BBC pundit Alan Hansen to famously declare: “you’ll never win anything with kids”.
Previous Meeting
A late Christian Benteke goal had looked to have made the last 10 minutes interesting before Ander Herrera put the game to bed, securing a 3-1 win for United at Old Trafford.
Prediction
United are clear favourites but will they fancy turning up on a cool Friday night in Birmingham? The hosts’ new signings are very much an unknown quantity and Gestede should give Blind enough problems to ensure the Villans get something from this clash.
Aston Villa 2-2 Manchester United
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