At A Glance
Boxing Day sees Aston Villa travel to Old Trafford for a game against Manchester United in the Premier League.
Unai Emery’s team made it ten matches unbeaten with a 1-1 draw against Sheffield United last time out, a run dating back to early November.
The Villans will be looking to build upon three games without defeat on their travels, winning two and drawing once.
Eleven points separate the two sides following United’s 2-0 loss to West Ham United in their previous outing.
The Red Devils have failed to score in four consecutive matches and have been inconsistent on home turf this season.
Erik Ten Hag’s team have won five and lost four of their nine top flight tilts at home.
Standout Stats
Manchester United have won 38 of their 56 Premier League games against Aston Villa, drawing 13 and losing five.
Villa have two wins from their previous four Premier League meetings with United, which is as many as they had mustered in their previous 51 against them (D12, L37).
Manchester United could lose three successive games at Old Trafford for the first time since October 1962 under Sir Matt Busby.
Aston Villa are on a 10-match unbeaten run in all competitions (W7, D3), last losing away to Nottingham Forest at the start of November.
Unai Emery's side have picked up seven points from their last nine available on the road.
United have lost 13 matches in all competitions this season, their most defeats before Christmas since 1930.
Villa have been beaten in their past two Boxing Day fixtures by the same 3-1 scoreline, losing to Chelsea in 2021 and then to Liverpool last year.
The Red Devils have also failed to score in four successive games in all competitions for the first time since November 1992.
United are unbeaten in their past 19 Boxing Day games at Old Trafford (W16, D3), a run dating back to 1978.
No English side has won more league games on 26 December than Manchester United's 53.
Ollie Watkins has been involved in eight goals in nine Premier League away games this season, scoring four and assisting four.
The Last Meeting
Aston Villa suffered a narrow loss against Manchester United at Old Trafford back in April.
Bruno Fernandes registered the only goal of the game shortly before half-time, converting the rebound after Emi Martínez had parried Marcus Rashford’s low strike.
Casemiro had earlier hit the crossbar for the hosts while Villa were thwarted three times by Victor Lindelof after the break, most notably heading off the goal-line to keep out Douglas Luiz’s effort, before Tyrone Mings went close with a late header.
Team News
Boubacar Kamara serves the second of a three-game suspension, while Emery says it will be “difficult” for Pau Torres to return from injury.
The Villa boss, who will also be without Matty Cash after he picked up his fifth yellow card, expects to head to Old Trafford with the same squad he used against Sheffield United.
United defender Diogo Dalot is available again having served a one-match ban.
Anthony Martial and Raphael Varane could both return after illness, but Harry Maguire is unlikely to feature.
The Boss
“We are now on match 18, we are going to finish in Manchester on Tuesday on match 19, the first half of the season. And we are demanding. We are happy. I am proud of our work, our way, with our supporters and the players. But I want to finish on Tuesday trying to face Manchester United, really, how we can face them being in this moment better than them in the table. They are contenders to be in the top seven, top four teams more than us. Tuesday is a very good match for us how we can face them, how we are with them until match 19, how we are facing the teams who are contenders more than us in the table to be there."
Unai Emery
