Manchester United vs Aston Villa Preview

Manchester United v Aston Villa
Sunday 5 April 2009,

Old Trafford
Kickoff: 16:00

Manchester United

Manchester United lost 2-0 away to Fulham in their last match, their second consecutive league loss.

In their last five matches, Man Utd have won three and lost two, picking up nine points from the fifteen available. Man U are currently first in the league, one point clear of second placed Liverpool with a match still in hand.

Manchester United will be without Paul Scholes, Nemanja Vidic, and the in-form Wayne Rooney after each of the players picked up red cards in recent matches.

Man Utd will also be without Wes Brown and Owen Hargreaves, whilst Rafael and Dimitar Berbatov are still in doubt with injuries.

Aston Villa

Aston Villa suffered a 5-0 defeat away at the hands of Liverpool in their last league outing, their third successive loss and fifth straight match without a win.

In their last five matches, Aston Villa have drawn one and lost four, picking up only one point from the fifteen on offer. Villa currently sit fifth in the league, three points behind fourth placed Arsenal and four points clear of sixth placed Everton.

Aston Villa will be without Emile Heskey after he picked up an injury in England's 4-0 win over Slovakia last weekend. Wilfred Bouma, Steve Sidwell and Martin Laursen may all be fit for this match.

Goalkeeper Brad Friedel will also feature for Villa after the red card he received against Liverpool was overturned.

Prediction

The two sides drew 0-0 earlier this season at Villa Park, whilst last season's Man Utd vs Aston Villa fixture saw United run out 4-0 winners.

Both teams return after the International break on the back of some disappointing form, with Villa in particular suffering after five straight matches without a single win saw them lose their top-four league spot.

Manchester United's title defense also suffered a setback after their two consecutive losses, and any further points dropped by the reigning champions could prove disastrous with Liverpool hot on their heels and in stunning form.

Of the two sides Manchester United definitely look the stronger, with the Red Devils still very much favourites to take the Premiership title at the end of the season.

The added advantage of Old Trafford will only serve to boost Man Utd's chances even further, and the defending champions look to turn their recent run of losses around and post a convincing victory in this top-of-the-table clash.

For the complete preview with the best online betting odds for the match, go to the Manchester United vs Aston Villa page.

For Saturday's matches, we have also previewed Arsenal vs Man City, Fulham vs Liverpool, and Newcastle vs Chelsea.