Aston Villa team news vs Man United confirmed as Unai Emery makes three changes

Unai Emery has picked his Aston Villa side to take on Manchester United at Villa Park this afternoon

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has named his starting XI to face Manchester United for this afternoon's Premier League clash at Villa Park (2pm kick-off).

He has made three changes from the side which beat Bayern Munich 1-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday night as Amadou Onana, Diego Carlos and Jacob Ramsey drop out. Leon Bailey passed a late fitness test to start, while Matty Cash returns to the side and Ross Barkley replaces Onana, who is injured.

From back to front, Emi Martinez starts in goal behind a defence made up of Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres and Lucas Digne. Barkley operates alongside Youri Tielemans in midfield, while Jaden Philogene plays from the left and Bailey on the right as Morgan Rogers supports Ollie Watkins up front.

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Villa’s tally of 13 points is their highest after six league games of a Premier League season since 2008-09, and host United looking to return to winning ways in the league after drawing 2-2 with Ipswich Town last weekend.

Their solitary victory in their past 25 Premier League home fixtures against United was by 3-1 in Emery’s first game in charge of the club in November 2022.

The Red Devils have beaten Villa 40 times in the Premier League era, which is more than any other opponent in the division other than Everton. Having only won two league games so far this term, United's tally of seven points after six games is their joint fewest at this stage of a Premier League campaign, alongside 2013-14 under David Moyes and 2020-21 under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Villa starting XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Barkley, Tielemans, Philogene, Bailey, Rogers, Watkins.

Subs: Gauci, Nedeljkovic, Maatsen, Carlos, Bogarde, Swinkels, Buendia, Young, Duran.

Man United XI: Onana, Mazraoui, Maguire, Evans, Dalot, Eriksen, Mainoo, Fernandes, Garnacho, Rashford, Hojlund.

Subs: Bayindir, De Ligt, Lindelof, Martinez, Casemiro, Ugarte, Amad, Antony, Zirkzee.

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