Manchester United vs Aston Villa Preview

The Premier League returns on Tuesday with exciting Boxing Day fixtures bookended by a match between Manchester United and Aston Villa at Old Trafford. Historically, Boxing Days have produced some of the league’s biggest and most entertaining fixtures, and fans could be due another box office classic when Unai Emery’s entertainers visit Erik ten Hag’s strugglers.

The Dutchman is coming under increasing pressure at Old Trafford after a poor first half of the season which has seen his side lose eight of their opening 18 league games this season (W9, D1). The most recent of those losses came in a 2-0 loss to West Ham last Saturday which means United have gone four successive matches without scoring for the first time since November 1992 (D1, L3).

As such, the Red Devils will kick off on Boxing Day, eight points adrift of the Premier League top-four. Improvements are needed quickly, especially in attack, as only basement boys Sheffield United have scored fewer goals than United’s measly 18 in the PL thus far.

Further toothlessness in front of goal would leave them vulnerable to a third consecutive home defeat for the first time this century. However, they can draw confidence from their pair of H2H victories over Aston Villa at Old Trafford last season.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa will look to get back to winning ways when they visit the Theatre of Dreams. The visitors missed the chance to go top of the table on Christmas as they were held to a 1-1 draw with Sheffield United last Friday.

However, they remain inside the top three, just one point behind Arsenal. Unai Emery’s side are also unbeaten in ten matches in all competitions (W7, D3) and have scored exactly twice in each of their last three PL away matches (W2, D1).

But despite the club’s respective standings this term, this fixture may still concern the Villa faithful as their side have won just two of the last 24 H2Hs in all competitions (D5, L17). In fact, no side in PL history has beaten Villa more than United (38), while Emery has lost six of his 12 managerial H2Hs against the Red Devils (W3, D3). One of those victories came in his first game as Villa boss – a 3-1 win at Villa Park last season, though.

Other fixtures taking place this week in the Premier League Fixtures:

Premier League Table