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Saturday, November 13, 2010

Aston Villa v Manchester United Match Preview


TEAM NEWS

Aston Villa are likely to have eight first-team squad members unavailable for the clash with Manchester United. Carlos Cuellar has definitely been ruled out with a calf injury suffered ahead of the midweek win over Blackpool while fellow defender Habib Beye is also struggling after twisting his ankle in the warm-up against the Tangerines.Stiliyan Petrov, Nigel Reo-Coker, John Carew, Emile Heskey, Steve Sidwell and Fabian Delph are out, while striker Gabriel Agbonlahor could come into the starting line-up after making his comeback from groin surgery as a substitute against Blackpool.

Manchester United are hopeful of having Patrice Evra available for the trip. The France full-back limped out of Wednesday's Manchester derby with an ankle injury, which it was felt would keep him out of the Villa Park encounter. However, Evra trained on Friday and could be involved, unlike Rafael who is sidelined by a dead leg, and Paul Scholes, who is suspended.

MATCH FACTS

  • Aston Villa have won just one of the last 29 Premier League meetings with Manchester United.
  • Villa have won none of the last 14 Premier League games against Manchester United at Villa Park, but have drawn the last two.

  • Gerard Houllier won five and lost five of his 12 Premier League meetings with Sir Alex Ferguson while coach at Liverpool.
  • Gabriel Agbonlahor has scored four of the six goals that Villa have scored against Manchester United in the last 10 meetings with the Red Devils.
  • The Red Devils have lost only one of their last 42 Premier League matches in the midlands since 1998: 0-1 at Wolves in January 2004.
  • Only Arsene Wenger (9) has won more Premier League matches as a manager against Manchester United than Gerard Houllier (5).
  • Aston Villa have lost only one of their last 15 Premier League home matches.
  • Villa have kept four clean sheets in their last six home Premier League matches.
Prediction:United win: 2-0

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