Aston Villa and Manchester United square off for the second time in six days as The Red Devils travel to Birmingham to take on Steven Gerrard’s men at Villa Park. On Monday, we witnessed a spirited affair between the two clubs at Old Trafford in FA Cup action. Nervous United supporters were relieved with a narrow victory for the home side. Ralf Rangnick was booed by United support for his substitutions and presumably leaving Ronaldo out of the lineup. Still, the manager had the last laugh, as Villas’s constant pressure yielded no fruits, and United escaped with a 1-0 victory. After contentious referee decisions and harsh words in the FA Cup, the league rematch promises to be a hotly contested affair as we switch venues to Villa Park. We have the grudge match of the season covered right here but make sure you check all the latest EPL odds at Fanduel Sportsbook.
Aston Villa (7-1-11, 22 points: 13th) | Manchester United (9-4-6, 31 points: 9th)
Match Date: Saturday, January 15
Match Time: 12:30 pm ET
Venue: Villa Park â Birmingham, England
Moneyline: Aston Villa +190| Draw +240 | Manchester United +140
Over/Under 2.5 Goals: Over -410 | Under +300
Odds to win the league: Aston Villa N/A | Manchester United +19000
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Aston Villa vs. Manchester United Predictions and Picks
Once again, Manchester United (+140) has trouble brewing on and off the pitch. The latest soap opera plot twists at Old Trafford look more fitting in The Days of Our Lives than England’s second most successful club. On Monday, leading man Cristiano Ronaldo was written out of the plot as returning villain Steven Gerrard sent United hearts skipping beats as they narrowly averted FA cup disaster.
If United are to find love in the coming episode, changes are almost certainly required as Villa (+190) controlled the entire match’s tempo, rhythm, and pace. Striking the bar multiple times and having an apparent equalizer reversed on Monday, Aston Villa will be a ball of energy this weekend as the turbulent emotions of Gerrard spill over into the eagerness of his side. Players of high emotional charge form the backbone of Villa as players like Danny Ings, and Ollie Watkins seem to be willing to run through walls for their boss, which is in stark contrast to the cast and crew of the opposition.
The benching of CR7 for the FA Cup was met with disdain by supporters on Monday, and Ronaldo has come out in public criticism of teammates and staff alike. The benching also prompted a crisis meeting with his agent Jorge Mendes. Mendes’ words following the discussion have the ring of a corny 80s soap breakup preamble. Mendes gave his best rendition of the it’s not you, it’s me routine when he said of his client, “He desperately wants his United move to be a success, but he is starting to recognize that winning trophies with the current set up could be a real struggle.”
The cracks in the Old Trafford foundations run into recent history as Aston Villa won the first meeting this season. This game presents the rare opportunity for Villa to win the double on United. A feat not achieved since 1976 and a statistic that is sure to drive the plot for Villa
The turmoil off the pitch is rivaled only by the comedic lack of form United show on it. Captain Harry Maguire spectacularly continues comedy relief as lazy midfielders and forwards point millionaire fingers at each other and create defensive shocks that rival JR Ewing’s demise. Take the home underdogs and take the over 1.5 as rough play and lots of fouls is almost a guarantee.
All EPL predictions and picks are courtesy of SportsGrid