Man United vs. Aston Villa: Team News, Predicted Line-Ups, Live Stream & TV Info
Manchester United vs. Aston Villa will see Louis van Gaal's side looking to pick up where they left off before the international break. For Tim Sherwood's Villa, the game stands as an opportunity to grab some valuable points in their battle against relegation.
It is going to be a big ask for Villa, who find United in good form. Assuming the Red Devils play anything like as well as they have done in their last two games, the Villains will probably travel back to the Midlands empty-handed.
Date: Saturday, 4 April 2015
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Time: 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. EDT
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester
TV Info: NBCSN (US Only)
Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra (US only)
Form Lines
Manchester United: WWLWW
Aston Villa: LWWWL
Team News
Sherwood has said that his injured players will not be rushed back for this game, per Gregg Evans of the Birmingham Mail. Evans reports that Ron Vlaar, Tom Cleverley (unavailable because he is on loan from United), Joe Cole and Philippe Senderos "have all returned to training, while Aly Cissokho and Kieran Richardson are thought to be making good progress."
For United, Robin van Persie remains the only definite absentee, but Chris Smalling is doubtful due to illness, per MUTV (h/t ManUtd.com).
Predicted Line-ups
This line-up would see Sherwood playing a very attacking 4-4-2, with which his side would look to hit United on the break.
Van Gaal should tinker as little as possible with the winning formula he has found, given his side's superb performances against Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. Smalling will probably play if he is available, given that he has been ever-present of late.
Players to Watch
In his pre-match press conference on Friday, Van Gaal said of Marouane Fellaini (h/t BBC Sport) "when he is playing like he is now, I cannot change him." The Belgian was in fine scoring form during the international break and has been an important part of United's recent system.
Of course, this game will also be a homecoming for two-goal hero Juan Mata, making his return to the Old Trafford pitch for the first time since since his star turn at Anfield. If Mata can maintain the kind of form he showed against Liverpool, he will certainly be worth watching.
From the Villa perspective, Gabby Agbonlahor and Christian Benteke were both on the scoresheet during Villa's 4-0 thumping of Sunderland in mid-March. Benteke also got on the scoresheet for Belgium during his time away with the national team and will be a handful for United's defenders.
He got the better of Jonny Evans during the sides' clash at Villa Park in December. If the Red Devils' defence is not switched on, Benteke certainly has the tools to hurt them.
Carles Gil is another man to watch for the Villains. Since his arrival in January, the tricky midfielder has provided a spark that his side lacked for most of the first half of this season.
Key Battle
The two clashes of attack-versus-defence will be key. United will have to be wary of the counter-attack, particularly if Sherwood sets his side out in an attacking fashion, as outlined above. Agbonlahor's pace will be an asset. The Reds will have to be careful of not conceding unnecessary set pieces, from which Benteke's presence can cause serious problems.
From Villa's perspective, they will have to attempt to marshal the very different threats posed by United's two flanks. Ashley Young and Fellaini will combine with Daley Blind on the left. Mata and Ander Herrera will combine with Antonio Valencia on the right. The combinations of guile, pace and physicality will be a huge challenge for Villa's full-backs.
Odds
The odds for the game, at the time of writing, per Odds Shark are:
Manchester United Win: -303
Draw: +475
Aston Villa Win: +1050
