Manchester United and Aston Villa meet at Old Trafford in the final Premier League game before the international break. For Michael Carrick, this will undoubtedly be another big test, coming up against Unai Emery, who has been linked with the managerial position at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils finally got their first win in all competitions since a win against FK Sabah back in September with their miraculous victory against AS Roma in midweek. Manchester United were down 2-0 inside the first 15 minutes, which was met with much criticism from the Old Trafford faithful. However, a classic European comeback from Manchester United, aided by two goals from Matheus Cunha and a penalty from captain Bruno Fernandes.
The first half still showed where Manchester United's problems are, as the two goals conceded to AS Roma stretch a poor defensive record to 10 games without a clean sheet in all competitions. However, the Red Devils have been good only in patches, with the first 45 minutes against Chelsea and the second half against Roma, clearly showing that on any given day, Carrick's side can perform.
Aston Villa recovered their form under Unai Emery after a poor start to the season, but recent games have seen the Villains falter. The away side are without a win in their previous three matches in all competitions, following two defeats against AFC Bournemouth and Barcelona, with a draw against Fulham in between.
Aston Villa's record at Old Trafford is horrendous with only two wins in all competitions since 2009 and the Villains are on a run of five years without a win away at Manchester United.