Manchester United, Aston Villa go head-to-head in top-of-table clash.
Aston Villa vs. Manchester United kicks off at 16:30 [GMT] on Sunday, December 21, at Villa Park.
Third-placed Aston Villa [WWWWW] will welcome Manchester United to Villa Park in what promises to be one of the standout Premier League fixtures of the round, with both sides arriving in strong but contrasting form. Historically, this has been a difficult matchup for Villa at home. They have won just one of their last 26 Premier League home games against Manchester United, a 3-1 victory in November 2022 that coincided with Unai Emery’s first match in charge. Villa’s overall momentum is equally impressive. They have won their last six Premier League matches and nine in all competitions, a level of consistency not seen at the club for decades. As a top-flight side, they last won seven league games in a row between December 1989 and February 1990, highlighting just how rare this run is. Fortunately, Villa Park has become a fortress under Emery. Only Manchester City have won more home Premier League points in 2025 than Aston Villa, who have collected 40 and lost just once at home all year. If Villa avoid defeat here, it would mark their fewest home top-flight defeats in a calendar year since 1983. It remains a record Unai Emery would be happy to claim when he deploys the familiar 4—2—3—1 formation, having Ollie Watkins in attack.
Sixth-placed Manchester United [LWDWD], meanwhile, have won 41 Premier League matches against Villa overall, including 18 away wins, making this one of their most successful fixtures in the competition’s history. They travel with confidence of their own, having won their last two away league matches. Earning three consecutive away Premier League wins for the first time since February 2024 is now within reach. The Red Devils have also scored at least twice in each of their last five away games, underlining a growing attacking threat on the road. However, game management remains an issue, with United having dropped 10 points from winning positions this season, one of the highest totals in the league. Key individual battles could prove decisive. Bruno Fernandes has been instrumental away from home, assisting in each of his last five away Premier League appearances. Another assist would see him become the first player in Premier League history to record assists in six consecutive away games. Meanwhile, for Villa, Morgan Rogers continues to be influential, with eight goal involvements in his last 11 league appearances. Ruben Amorim could deploy a 3—4—2—1 formation, having Joshua Zirkzee in attack. Casemiro is suspended for this weekend’s clash.