MANCHESTER UNITED TEAM NEWS
Manchester United will be bidding to bounce back on Boxing Day at Old Trafford, as Erik ten Hag’s side prepares to take on Aston Villa in the Premier League.
The Reds were beaten 2-0 by West Ham United at the London Stadium on Saturday, as second-half strikes from Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus ensured victory for the Hammers.
Having dominated most of the play in east London, United left the capital ultimately empty-handed and will be looking for a response against Unai Emery’s side on Tuesday.
Willy Kambwala came in for his first-team debut, while Diogo Dalot missed out given his recent red card against Liverpool at Anfield.
Raphael Varane fell ill ahead of our clаsh against David Moyes’s side, and Erik ten Hag could provide an update on the center-back in his pre-Villa press conference, which you will be able to see across our platforms from 22:30 GMT on Christmas Day. As mentioned, defender Dalot’s return can help bolster Ten Hag’s options at the back, having now completed his one-game suspension. Midfielder Christian Eriksen played the final five minutes in our 2-0 defeat just 24 hours ago, as he returned from his recent spell on the sidelines, while Rasmus Hojlund featured up front having overcome feeling unwell in the week before the game.
Recent absentees Amad and Anthony Martial were both not involved in the matchday squad against West Ham.
Defenders Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof are working to recover from their recent setbacks, with January earmarked for the pair to come back. The same can be said for Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro, who are also still out of action until after the new-year period has passed. Mason Mount and Tyrell Malacia are also not expected to return before the end of 2023.
ASTON VILLA TEAM NEWS
Emi Buendia and Tyrone Mings are both amid their rehab programs, after suffering knee injuries earlier this season. They remain long-term absentees. Midfielder Boubacar Kamara is still suspended after he was sent off against Brentford and will play no part at Old Trafford, nor will full-back Matty Cash who picked up his fifth yellow card of the Premier League season during Villa’s 1-1 draw with Sheffield United last time out.
It is unknown whether center-back Pau Torres will make the trip up north, due to an ankle ιnjury. Emery says Torres’s condition is improving every day, and there is a chance he could be available for the M16 clаsh. Former Leicester City man Youri Tielemans still has issues with his calf and is expected to miss the next couple of weeks, while forward Bertrand Traore is also being assessed with a muscle problem that has seen him sidelined most recently for the Villans.