Manchester Utd vs Aston Villa prediction: ENGLAND: Premier League betting tips on match 2023-04-29 13:00.
Manchester United ‘lost focus’ according to manager Erik ten Hag, as they let a two-goal lead slip to draw with Tottenham on Thursday. Relinquishing control of matches has become a theme for the Red Devils of late after suffering the same fate against Sevilla two weeks ago, but they remain in a strong position to secure a top-four finish, holding a six-point advantage with two games in hand over Tottenham and Sunday’s opponents Aston Villa.
Fortress Old Trafford has been almost impossible to breach this season, with United unbeaten in 25 matches (W21, D4) on their own turf dating back to September 2022. They’ve conceded just eight goals there all season, while their 14 clean sheets overall suggests they’re a tough nut to crack despite the absence of Raphaël Varane and Lisandro Martínez. That defence may need to be on its game, as Ten Hag’s men have netted just 48 goals in the Premier League (PL), fewer than just one other side in the top-nine.
That team is the visiting Aston Villa who are two goals behind on 46, but they are in an incredibly rich vein of form so are unlikely to be daunted by a trip to the Theatre of Dreams. Unai Emery’s men are unbeaten in ten PL matches (W8, D2) – their longest such run at this level since 2011 – meaning they’re now firmly in the race to finish in the European places this term, a far cry from the miserable start to the campaign they endured under Steven Gerrard.
Villa are comfortable on the road too, avoiding defeat in each of their last five away assignments (W3, D2). The last team to beat them on their travels was Manchester City, and this is not a part of the world they thrive in considering they’ve won just one of their last 11 trips to Old Trafford (D1, L9), while no side in PL history has beaten them more often than United (37). Villa have avoided defeat in each of the last three league meetings though (W2, D1), while another success here would hand them a first-ever PL double over the Red Devils after last November's 3-1 victory.
Players to watch: Marcus Rashford returned to form with a goal in midweek for United, and he’s already netted against Villa this season in a 4-2 victory in the EFL Cup – part of a very strong personal H2H record (W6, D1, L1). Fellow countryman, Villa’s Ollie Watkins, will be looking to end a two-game scoring drought after netting 11 times in 12 matches prior.
Hot streak: Villa have scored in each of Emery’s first 20 PL games in charge – the only team to achieve this in PL history.