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Aston Villa are back in Premier League action on Sunday against Manchester United at Villa Park
Aston Villa are positioned in third place in the Premier League table after their first 16 fixtures. They are three points behind league leaders Arsenal and one off Manchester City in second. The Midlands outfit have been in eye-catching form over recent weeks.
Unai Emery’s side won 3-2 away at West Ham last time out to keep their momentum going. They are back in action on Sunday with a home clash against Manchester United. Here is a look at their predicted line-up to play the Red Devils...
Aston Villa predicted line-up vs Manchester United: goalkeeper and defence
GK: Marco Bizot: Aston Villa’s number one Emi Martinez missed out on their trip to West Ham in their last game. That provided Marco Bizot with an opportunity to get some minutes. He joined in the summer to provide back-up between the sticks.
RB: Matty Cash: The 28-year-old tends to get forward and get involved in attacks. He has been on the books at Villa Park since 2020 and has been a good servant to the club. The right-back has made 201 appearances in all competitions to date.
CB: Ezri Konsa: It has been an impressive season for the centre-back for both his club and country. The centre-back has become a regular for England under Thomas Tuchel over recent times. He will be eyeing a place in the Three Lions’ squad for the World Cup next year.
CB: Victor Lindelof: Aston Villa will need to make checks on Pau Torres after he sat out against West Ham. Tyrone Mings remains in the treatment room as well. Therefore, Victor Lindelof may well get another chance to show what he can do.
LB: Ian Maatsen: Emery has opted for Ian Maatsen ahead of Lucas Digne recently. Like Cash, he likes to get up and down the flank of defence. At the age of 23, he still has potential to grow and develop in the future.
Aston Villa predicted line-up vs Manchester United: midfield and attack
CM: Boubakar Kamara: The 26-year-old has enjoyed plenty of game time at Aston Villa in this campaign. He has become a key player for them in the middle of the park. The Frenchman joined from Marseille back in 2022.
CM: John McGinn: It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him drop a little bit deeper against Manchester United. Emery could do with his energy in the heart of the pitch. He has recently helped Scotland qualify for the World Cup in USA, Canada and Mexico.
RW: Donyell Malen: Aston Villa could start Donyell Malen in their singular change and he could cause the Red Devils some problems. The Dutchman has had a new lease of life this term. It initially took him a while to find his shooting boots after his switch to England just over 12 months ago.
CAM: Youri Tielemans: The Belgium international has caught the eye of late and will be looking to help his team secure another three points. He joined his current club back in 2022. Prior to his transfer, he had spells at Anderlecht, AS Monaco and Leicester City.
LW: Morgan Rogers: Aston Villa’s decision to land him from Middlesbrough back in 2024 has turned out to be a masterstroke. He has scored five goals in 23 matches this season. The England star will be eager to add to his tally against Ruben Amorim’s men.
ST: Ollie Watkins: He has found the net only three times so far in this campaign. Nevertheless, he will still get the nod for this one. Aston Villa don’t have too much competition for his place up top and that is something to think about ahead of January.
Aston Villa predicted line-up vs Manchester United in full: Bizot; Cash, Konsa, Lindelof, Maatsen; Kamara, McGinn; Malen, Tielemans, Rogers; Watkins
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