Odds courtesy of TonyBet.
Manchester United vs Aston Villa Odds
United is a -136 home favorite at soccer betting sportsbooks. Villa returns as a +350 underdog, while a draw is priced at +309. The O/U sits at three goals.
The Red Devils were enjoying a six-game unbeaten run against the Lions before the Birmingham outfit beat United 1-0 in the reverse fixture last December.
Manchester United vs Aston Villa Analysis
The Red Devils were an absolute mess earlier in the campaign, but once they decided to sack Ruben Amorim, everything changed. Michael Carrick has come in and made a major difference, with United actually looking like one of the top sides in the Premier League again. The club is sitting in third place in the table with 51 points, compiling a 14-9-6 record. Villa also has 51 points, so this fixture is incredibly important.
Plus, Chelsea sits on 48 points, while Liverpool also has 48. The fight for a Champions League spot is fierce, which means the Red Devils cannot afford to take their foot off the gas pedal. After just over a week off since the gut-wrenching last-minute defeat to Newcastle, United will be hungry to come out on Sunday and grab another three points on home soil. Carrick’s men have gone an impressive 9-3-2 at Old Trafford.
Villa have been one of the biggest surprises in the top flight this term, and at one point, they were even in the title race. But, things have taken a turn for the worst. They’ve notched just one win across their last six Premier League outings, and that lone victory was back on February 11. During this span, the Lions have lost three times. The worst defeat, by a mile, was in their last league appearance against Chelsea.
The Blues absolutely ran riot on Unai Emery’s squad, overturning an early 1-0 deficit to take a 3-1 lead by the 55th minute. Villa looked helpless, and that’s unfortunately been the case for weeks. On a more positive note, the Villains emerged victorious in the first leg of the Europa Round of 16 on Thursday against Ligue 1 outfit Lille thanks to Ollie Watkins’ goal. Hopefully, that win can give them some momentum, because locking down a UCL berth is still very realistic.
Manchester United vs Aston Villa Injury News
Manchester United received a boost ahead of the weekend as Noussair Mazraoui is available despite limping off against Newcastle last time out. However, Lisandro Martinez will miss Sunday’s match at Old Trafford due to a lingering calf issue. The Red Devils are also without several medium-term absentees, with Mason Mount (knock), Matthijs de Ligt (back) and Patrick Dorgu (hamstring) all still sidelined.
Aston Villa could welcome back John McGinn after the Scotland international returned to action against Lille on Thursday following a 10-match absence. However, Emery’s side continue to deal with midfield shortages as both Youri Tielemans (ankle) and Boubacar Kamara (knee) remain out. Meanwhile, right-back Matty Cash is a doubt for the trip to Manchester after being forced off at half-time in Villa’s last Premier League outing.
Manchester United vs Aston Villa Picks
The Red Devils have yet to even drop a single point at home under Carrick, but I do believe Villa is about to turn a corner. They will give United a run for their money, and this fixture will ultimately finish level.
Pick: Draw +309/TonyBet
