Manchester United - Aston Villa 25-05-25

Two very different approaches to the last game of the season. For Manchester United, they are now just one game away from rounding off their weakest season ever. Just above relegation is a foregone conclusion, and a team devoid of quality players. One can ask oneself how a guy like Bruno Fernandes manages to motivate himself ahead of a new season. It peaked on Wednesday with a very weak performance against Tottenham in the Europa League final. The loss means no football on the continent next season, and perhaps not the same opportunities in the transfer market either. Where United is down with a broken back, things look brighter for Aston Villa. They have made it to the league round of 38, and a Champions League ticket is still in the pot. The club got a taste of the good life this season, and if they manage to secure a new seat at the most fashionable table this time too, Villa will really start to look like something. Just three points are good enough for the boys from Birmingham in the last game of the season.

 

Manchester United – It can't get much worse now

 

Ruben Amorim has had a disappointing season. He hasn't managed it. The player base he took over was poor, the personalities were sometimes difficult, and the chances of success were rather bleak. Still, the Portuguese has failed. The best managers make players better, and Amorim hasn't been able to do that this season. Who in this squad has taken big steps in the right direction over the past few months? The fact is that as of today, there is hardly a player in this squad who had made it to the best teams in the Premier League, and the 16th place they hold seems to be where the level is. Manchester United's fall is worth a study in itself, because there has been no shortage of money available. The talent, on the other hand, has been completely absent.

 

Samuel Luckhurst, chief writer of the Manchester Evening News, describes this as the worst United team in 51 years, and also points out that they have managed the feat of losing to Tottenham four times in the same season. And let it be said, Tottenham is coming off a miserable season themselves.

 

It's hard to disagree with all the experts, former United players, journalists and pundits, because absolutely everything has gone wrong here for a number of years now. Manchester United are facing another season without European games, falling revenues, a manager who seems more ready to leave than to roll up his sleeves, and a group of players devoid of x-factor and class. No, the last league game will just have to come and go. United have nothing to play for, and we have to go all the way back to March 16 to find the last three points in the league. There won't be another one on Sunday, Aston Villa are restless and unfortunately for the Reds, a much better football team as of today.

 

Aston Villa – About to establish themselves among the coolest guys

 

Aston Villa have a very different curve to their duelists on Sunday. Sixth place does not guarantee a Champions League place in the autumn, however, so they will need help to get back into the big leagues. Villa are dependent on three points against United, while Chelsea, Newcastle or City must also drop points. Villa's 66 points are identical to Chelsea and Newcastle, but a weak goal difference is causing problems for the burgundy-reds. The hope must be that Nottingham can hold Chelsea to a draw, or perhaps that Everton can cause problems for Newcastle away. In any case, the job of picking up three points has to be done by yourself. We think Villa can do it against a disillusioned Manchester United.

 

Villa has had a great season. The start of the Champions League adventure was a bit magical with nice wins, and a temporary first place in the new table of the year. Then it got tougher, and the match load and expectations made themselves felt. But then they found themselves again. Thanks to a couple of good additions, as well as a more coordinated squad of players, the form throughout the spring has been very good. In the last 17 games in all competitions, Villa has 14 wins and three losses. Not a single one decided. The three losses are against City in the league, against Palace in the FA Cup, and against PSG in the Champions League. Not small teams in other words. No, Aston Villa has been impressive in recent months, and it is no coincidence that they are once again among England's best when it all comes to an end.

 

Tielemans and Rashford were missing last time out against Spurs. The match was still won 2-0, marking Villa's third straight PL win, without conceding a single goal. Unai Emery, the cunning Spaniard, has turned this group of players into a team to be reckoned with, and the hope now is that this is just the start. The form curve is pointing in the right direction, and against some tired United legs on Sunday, things are set for new points.

 

Conclusion – Two worlds meet on Sunday at 5 pm

 

Because it couldn't be more night and day than this. Manchester United have an eternal series of losses, while Villa are flying high and knocking on the Champions League door again. With a little luck, United could also be there if they had beaten Tottenham on Wednesday, but that wasn't going to happen for the Red Devils. They have to find a way to start over. The big questions for Manchester United are many. Is Amorim the right man for the big moments? Pål André Helland categorically said no to this question in the Viasat studio after the final debacle. It's possible he's right. If you're going to give Amorim praise for anything, it has to have been for clearing some problem children out of the way. Beyond that, he's had the weakest league season in living memory. He's made United worse, and he's left without a trophy, and without a European game in the fall. Some report that this could be an advantage for United now, but that's just nonsense. It's not an advantage to be hit by a semi-trailer while you're out cycling. It's not an advantage to fall head first off a scaffold. Yes, but you can try to change your mindset and make the best of a bad situation, but the fact that mighty Manchester United will now not be leaving England to play football next season is nothing less than a sporting crisis. The road back up from here seems long, and who is really going to lead the way? Football can be merciless.

 

Aston Villa must beat United on Sunday. 69 points could be enough for the Champions League, and with a little luck it could keep at least one of Newcastle or Chelsea at bay. That's the premise, three points, and a little help from Mrs. Fortuna. Villa have more than enough quality to fix the beef themselves, so you might have to stand there, heartbroken, and hope for positive news from Newcastle and Nottingham. The excitement is palpable.

 

We predict an away win in Manchester on Sunday. United are mentally and physically ready, while Villa have everything to play for. The loss in Bilbao must be hard to swallow, and it is not certain that we will get anything resembling a top home team in this match. Whoever gets the nod, there is probably not a lot of motivation to be found, so this is up to the away team. The gauntlet must be picked up, and the three points must be secured. We think Villa will do the job.

 

England at 17:00: Manchester United – Aston Villa: Away win (1.75)

 

Alternative game

England at 17:00: Manchester United – Aston Villa: Away win + Over 1.5 goals ( 2.05)