Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag knows that pressure is mounting on his team after a run of underpar results has left them scrambling in both the Premier League and in European competition.
United have not won a game since their 7-0 hammering over League One side Barnsley in the Carabao Cup and slumped to a 3-0 defeat against Tottenham last time out in the top-flight. Harry Maguire’s stoppage-time goal earned them a 3-3 draw against Porto in the Europa League on Thursday but the Red Devils had previously squandered a two-goal and looked on the verge of defeat.
In contrast, Aston Villa are flying high. They started the weekend fifth in the domestic table and come into the match on the back of a historic 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Unai Emery’s men have not been beaten since a 2-0 loss to Arsenal back in August and with Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran all in form they will be formidable opponents this afternoon.
Follow all the action from Villa Park in our live blog below:
Aston Villa vs Manchester United LIVE
Hello and welcome along to The Independent’s live coverage of Aston Villa vs Manchester United in the Premier League. The visitors arrive in desperate need of a faith-restoring victory as manager Erik ten Hag edges ever closer to the sack, a last-gasp draw in the Europa League doing little to bolster his side’s confidence.
Aston Villa, by contrast, enjoyed their midweek outing, beating Bayern Munich 1-0 in a performance that evoked memories of the club’s greatest European night. Kick off is at 2pm BST.
Harry Latham-Coyle6 October 2024 11:17