Aston Villa vs Man Utd pre-match thread

[Smirker]

McGinn missing and doubts over Onana, Bailey and JJ on top of the more longstanding injuries.

We usually play these spawny fuckers at the worst time and this seems no different.

I'd take the draw and hope it gives Ten Haag more time to oversee his master plan...though if a defeat for the Red Mancs sees Gareth Southgate parachuted in we should go flat out.

We're a top team, they're midtable. Why should any fan be happy to take the draw?

We need to think like a top team because we are a top team. The days of shit Villa are long gone. Any other top 6 team would not be happy with a draw against these at home, and neither should we be.

Anything other than a win is two points dropped, even with our injuries.

[Demitri_C]

Its game day. Hoping for three points

[LeonW]

As long as Van Nistelrooy can’t come off the bench we should just be treating this as any other fixture. They’re a mid table team at present, like a Fulham. We shouldn’t be making them to be anything beyond that.

[Pete3206]

I think a lot of fans have a pessimistic view of this fixture given our atrocious record over the last 40 years and, I include myself in that.

It's time to put this hoodoo to bed.

[eye digress]

A win would be great for the table now. Put some distance between us and Newcastle again. Worst case scenario, I think, is we go into the break in 6th, 3 points behind Chelsea in 4th.

Good point. Looks so far like Chelsea are pushing hard to join up with last year’s top 4 (though remains to be seen how Maresca responds to adversity). So keeping pace with them is a must. With our CL performances, there will hopefully be 5 CL places this year, so the Chelsea resurgence is not likely to be existential for our plan.

Our top 4 odds have shortened slightly incidentally - most bookies had us below Yanited and the Jaudis at the start of the season. That seems to have been corrected. I get why they still have Chelsea as favourites to finish above us (given their spending), but Spudz?

Arsenal 1/20
City 1/6
Liverpool 1/7
Chelsea 8/13
Spurs 5/2
Villa 7/2
Newcastle 5/1
United 6/1

[The Edge]

I will be watching this in Spain with a MU "supporter". Please please win this one Villa. Last season when we beat City 1-0 at VP  we thought we had peaked then went on to beat Arsenal three days later. Now we've beaten Bayern 1-0 can we repeat it? I reckon we can. I'll go for a 1-0 to the Villa.

[eye digress]

Martinez

Digne
Pau
Carlos
Konsa

Morgan
Onana
Barkley
Philogene

Tielemans
Watkins

Possibly go with this, only alternative really is Tielemans in his normal role and Beundia behind Ollie, might be a big ask for Beundia though, considering his lack of football.

Personally, I’d have Barkley’s fresh legs alongside Tielemans in the middle. But Unai seems determined to start Onana come what may, so that doesn't seem likely in the immediate.
Assuming JJ is out, I’d have Rogers on the left. Though Philogene executed the plan very well Weds, I still wasn’t totally bowled over by his “footballing” performance (still a bit lightweight, tendency to lose his footing, stuff like that), plus fatigue, so another start would be a big ask. Maybe Cash up the right? Could Barkley play there, with Onana in the middle? We’re a bit light in the midfield spots, I’m slightly surprised to find.
60 minutes for Buendia alongside Ollie.

[Behind Bluenose Lines]

I think a lot of fans have a pessimistic view of this fixture given our atrocious record over the last 40 years and, I include myself in that.

It's time to put this hoodoo to bed.

Definitely, despite the current dread feeling in the pit of my stomach!  :'(

[AV84]

A win would be great for the table now. Put some distance between us and Newcastle again. Worst case scenario, I think, is we go into the break in 6th, 3 points behind Chelsea in 4th.

Good point. Looks so far like Chelsea are pushing hard to join up with last year’s top 4 (though remains to be seen how Maresca responds to adversity). So keeping pace with them is a must. With our CL performances, there will hopefully be 5 CL places this year, so the Chelsea resurgence is not likely to be existential for our plan.

The fact Chelsea have been able to name practically 2 spectate squads for the league and their European campaign gives them a big advantage, if it stays tight between us.

[Chip Butty 111]

It's about time we gave this lot a pasting, they always seem to be able to get a result against us. With our injuries I don't see it being today unfortunately. I'd be delighted with a boring 1:0 win, we are going to have a few tired legs 2nd half after the effort put in on Wednesday.

[LeeB]

Thought I'd have a look if there's any pieces today with the game coming up, nothing about the Champions League pace setting him team but plenty to go through on both the beeb and the Guardian if you happen to support the mid-table, also-ran visitors.

[eamonn]

I think a lot of fans have a pessimistic view of this fixture given our atrocious record over the last 40 years and, I include myself in that.

It's time to put this hoodoo to bed.

We did in Unai's first game. Now it's another 25 years of crap results against them.

[taylorsworkrate]

It's about time we gave this lot a pasting, they always seem to be able to get a result against us. With our injuries I don't see it being today unfortunately. I'd be delighted with a boring 1:0 win, we are going to have a few tired legs 2nd half after the effort put in on Wednesday.

I don't think tiredness can be an excuse today. Man United have had a days less rest and had to travel.

[AV84]

I'd worry more about the mental recovery than the physical. Doubt there'll be many changes to the lineup, other than injury enforced ones, and even then the replacements played on Wednesday too. We could carry the momentum and smash them, or we could be mentally drained and have a nightmare. 

I see Maguire calling for the players to take responsibility and start delivering consistently and to basically save ETHs job. Hopefully they don't actually want to save his job. (Maguire does mention VP being a great place to go to play a game though, so he gets points for that)

[eye digress]

Thought I'd have a look if there's any pieces today with the game coming up, nothing about the Champions League pace setting him team but plenty to go through on both the beeb and the Guardian if you happen to support the mid-table, also-ran visitors.

Noticed that as well, Lee. Was looking forward to a few in-depth analysis or feel-good player articles, but zip. Plenty about Yanited (and fair enough, with a sacking looming), but thought we’d be decent box office this weekend.

Wonder if that has something to do with Unai’s generally media shy approach though, as much as the media being disinterested?