Manchester Utd vs Aston Villa prediction: ENGLAND: Premier League betting tips on match 2023-12-25 20:00.
[p]Serious pressure is mounting on Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, after another limp performance saw the Red Devils beaten 2-0 by West Ham on Saturday. United have now gone four successive matches without scoring for the first time since November 1992 (D1, L3), and will kick off on Boxing Day eight points adrift of the Premier League (PL) top-four, so improvements are needed quickly.[/p]
[p]And it’s clear to see where they should be prioritised, as only basement boys Sheffield United have scored fewer goals than the Red Devils’ 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, although confidence can perhaps be drawn from their pair of H2H victories over Aston Villa at Old Trafford last season.[/p]
[p]Unai Emery’s men travel to Manchester having squandered the chance to sit top of the PL at Christmas for the first time since 1998, with Villa left frustrated by a 1-1 draw against Sheffield United. Irrespective of that setback, the visitors are 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).[/p]
[p]This is a fixture that, despite the club’s respective standings this term, may still concern the Villa faithful as they’ve won just two of the last 24 H2Hs in all competitions (D5, L17). 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), although one of those victories came in his first game as Villa boss – a 3-1 win at Villa Park last season.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: With United’s forward line misfiring, Marcus Rashford may be in line for a recall. He scored as the Red Devils knocked Villa out of the League Cup last season, while he also bagged the goal that confirmed the visitors’ relegation back in 2016. Villa winger Moussa Diaby has scored inside the opening 15 minutes twice this season, but he’s without a PL goal since late October. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Man Utd’s 13 losses in all competitions this season is their highest such total at Christmas since 1930/31, when they’d lost 16![/p]