Manchester United will clash heads with Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Monday night, hoping to pick up a win in the third round of the FA Cup competition. The Red Devils will be coming into the match on the back of a shambolic 1-0 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers, whereas Steven Gerrard’s men recorded a 2-1 defeat against Brentford on January 2.
Team News
Monday might come too soon for skipper Harry Maguire as he hasn’t been able to train yet, but Victor Lindelof is in contention to make the starting eleven.
“Victor is back in training, since (Thursday), which is very good news for us.” – Rangnick stated.
“Harry hasn’t been able to train, as yet, and we have to wait and see how this develops, (Saturday) or (Sunday).
“With Harry, there is still a question mark but Victor will definitely be available for the game on Monday.”
As for the visitors, Tyrone Mings and Ollie Watkins will be available for selection on Monday, Steven Gerrard confirmed in an interview.
“We’ll have Ollie Watkins available. We’ll have Tyrone Mings available, assuming that the preparation goes well from now until kick-off. Ashley Young has got an outside chance, he’s still got a bit of a niggle in that fractured toe but we’re working with it and are trying to find solutions for him. He’s got an outside chance.
“The rest is as it was, with Leon Bailey and Marvelous Nakamba both missing because they’re both the longer-term ones but, overall, we’ve come through Brentford with no major injuries. Kortney Hause has had a bit of tightness after the game, but that’s settled down and he trained today.”
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Talking Tactics
Ralf Rangnick will probably opt for the 4-2-2-2 formation with a couple of tweaks from the last match. Victor Lindelof might get the nod over Phil Jones in defence, whereas Bruno Fernandes seems likely to make his way back into the starting eleven.
The German tactician will be looking to effectively implement his philosophy of high-pressing style in practice and turn things around after a series of shambolic performances. The concerns still lie in midfield as the £250k-a-week stars scramble to string a couple of passes together and facilitate the fluid attacking gameplay.
On the other hand, Gerrard is set to continue with his preferred 4-3-3 formation, with Phillipe Coutinho expected to make his debut on Monday. The return of Ollie Watkins and Tyrone Mings could provide the Villans with a significant boost in both ends of the pitch.
Predicted Lineups
Manchester United: De Gea; Shaw, Varane, Lindelof, Wan-Bissaka; Fred, McTominay; Fernandes, Sancho, Ronaldo; Rashford
Aston Villa: Martinez; Targett, Konsa, Mings; Cash, Luiz, McGinn, Ramsey; Coutinho, Watkins; El Ghazi
Betting Odds
Manchester United head into the contest as 4/6 favourites, with Aston Villa 4/1 for a terrific away win and the draw priced at 3/1.
Our Prediction
Manchester United 2-1 Aston Villa
