In a striking turn of events, Manchester United, plagued by their worst pre-Christmas results in 93 years, prepares to host a challenging Boxing Day encounter at Old Trafford against title-contending Aston Villa.
The Red Devils' struggles persisted in a disheartening 2-0 defeat to West Ham United over the weekend. In contrast, Aston Villa's impressive winning streak at home faced an unexpected halt with a surprising 1-1 draw against Sheffield United.
Manchester United anticipates the return of Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial from illness, potentially prompting Erik ten Hag to rest young Willy Kambwala.
Diogo Dalot is likely to make a return to the squad after serving a one-game ban. However, injuries afflict key players such as Mason Mount, Victor Lindelof, and Harry Maguire, among others, rendering them unavailable for the match.
Aston Villa's defensive pillar, Pau Torres, is expected to feature despite nursing an ankle injury. However, suspensions sideline Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara, while Youri Tielemans may be absent due to a calf problem.
The first half of Manchester United's recent clash with West Ham at the London Stadium left both home and away supporters wanting, but the final whistle painted a different picture.
Former Red Devils boss David Moyes celebrated Christmas cheerfully after West Ham secured a 2-0 victory, dealing Manchester United their eighth top-flight loss and a 13th overall before December 25, a situation not witnessed since the 1930-31 season when the club faced relegation.
Amidst a four-game scoreless streak and a series of defeats, Manchester United's struggles are accentuated by their failure to find the net since defeating Chelsea on December 6.
Despite a commendable goalless draw against Liverpool, defensive resilience hasn't translated into success for Ten Hag's team.
A once impervious fortress, Old Trafford has witnessed a shift in fortunes, with Manchester United succumbing to defeats in four of their last seven top-flight home fixtures since August 2023.
However, they boast a remarkable record of 21 Boxing Day wins in the Premier League, adding an intriguing layer to their upcoming clash with Aston Villa.
Possible Prediction line-ups
Man United: Onana. Dalot, Evans, Varane, Reguilon, McTominay. Eriksen, Antony, Fernandes; Garnacho; Rashford
Aston Villa: Martinez. Konsa, Carlos; Lenglet, Moreno, Zaniolo. McGinn, Luiz, Ramsey, Diaby, Watkins
Event details
NAME: Manchester United - Aston Villa
DATE: 26 Dec 2023
TIME: 20:00 UTC
VENUE: Old Trafford, Manchester, England