ASTON VILLA @ MANCHESTER UNITED

United face defensive reshuffle

Lisandro Martínez is suspended, while Luke Shaw and Patrick Dorgu are unavailable or doubtful, leaving Diogo Dalot a likely option at left-back. The projected XI has Harry Maguire and Ayden Heaven in central defence, but the final selection is not confirmed.

Villa's right-back spot hinges on a fitness test

Matty Cash is suspended, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka faces a late assessment after missing recent matches. Matteo Ruggeri and Amadou Onana are also out, according to Villa's pre-match update.

Tielemans returns to face his former club

Michael Carrick praised Youri Tielemans's composure and leadership ahead of the match. Tielemans made 134 appearances for Villa before joining United, adding a personal edge to the midfield matchup.

A demanding midweek for both sides

United come into the fixture after a 3-2 Champions League win over Roma, while Villa were beaten 3-0 by Barcelona. The contrasting results may affect confidence, though Villa's European defeat also means a quick response is needed.

Pick Ideas

Angles drawn from the matchup analysis above and refreshed as the news changes. They are a separate read from the LineCrush pick for this matchup, so the two can land on different sides.

Aston Villa +0.5

Consider Villa on the half-goal handicap if the price remains near the listed -145: it covers both an away win and a draw. Villa have won two of their recent league away trips, including at Newcastle and Tottenham.

Over 2.5 goals

The over is listed around -175, so shop for a better price before backing it. One preview's xG review found an average of 3.31 across United's home and Villa's away league matches, despite the under landing in more than half of their combined fixtures.