Manchester United and Aston Villa meet at Old Trafford on Sunday, with this game pivotal in the race for the UEFA Champions League places for next season.
Michael Carrick's time as interim manager of Manchester United has put the Red Devils in contention for a top-four finish this season. Despite the first defeat across two spells against Newcastle United last time out, Manchester United still maintain a third-placed spot in the Premier League, as Carrick has guided Manchester United to six wins from eight matches under his tenure. The advantage for Manchester United is that their form at Old Trafford has been relatively strong, with no defeats in eight and four straight league wins on home soil.
Aston Villa picked up a much-needed win in France on Thursday, as their victory against Lille ended a run of four games without a win in all competitions. The Villains have been drawn into the battle for the top four in recent weeks, as they have picked up only one league win in their last five matches. Unai Emery's side have lost their last two Premier League games against Wolverhampton Wanderers (2-0) and Chelsea (1-4). Between the two sides, Aston Villa have lost the last three meetings, including a 2-0 defeat at the end of last season, where Aston Villa squandered a chance to secure Champions League football.
The difference maker for this fixture is likely to be Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese midfielder has provided 21 goal contributions in the Premier League this season, and is seven assists away from breaking the all-time assist record for a single season, which stands at 20.
We are going for a narrow win for the Red Devils here. Carrick's Reds have been strong at home under his tenure and Aston Villa's league form has been patchy at best.
Manchester United 2-1 Aston Villa
