Sir Alex Ferguson will not want another draw today. Villa look like being without eight of their first-team squad and will again look to the youngsters who went close to victory at Fulham before scraping a late winner against Blackpool's occasionals. With Chelsea quick to resume winning habits after losing at Anfield, United cannot afford to drop points in games they are expected to win, and Villa can expect them to throw men forward more quickly than they did at Eastlands. Villa's youthful lack of inhibition could be their biggest asset. David Lacey

Venue Villa Park, Saturday 12.45pm

Tickets £25-45 (0800 612 0970)

Last season Aston Villa 1 Manchester Utd 1

Referee M Dean

This season's matches 10 Y30, R1, 3.10 cards per game

Odds Aston Villa 4-1 Manchester Utd 5-6 Draw 13-5

Aston Villa

Subs from Guzan, Lichaj, Beye, Lowry, Hogg, Johnson, Ireland, Delfouneso

Doubtful Beye (ankle)

Injured Cuéllar (calf, 21 Nov), Reo-Coker (knee, 21 Nov), Carew (back, Dec), Heskey (knee, Dec), Petrov (knee, Dec), Weimann (ankle, Feb), Delph (knee, unknown), Sidwell (achilles, unknown)

Suspended None

Form guide WDDLDL

Disciplinary record Y23 R0

Leading scorer Downing 4

Manchester Utd

Subs from Kuszczak, Amos, Gibson, Anderson, Obertan, Smalling, Macheda, Fábio, Bebé, Hernández, J Evans, Giggs

Doubtful Anderson (virus), J Evans (hip), Evra (ankle), Giggs (hamstring)

Injured Rafael (leg, 20 Nov), Rooney (ankle, 20 Nov), Owen (hamstring, Dec), Valencia (broken leg, Mar), Neville (unknown)

Suspended Scholes (one match)

Form guide DWWWDD

Disciplinary record Y20 R0

Leading scorer Berbatov 6

Match pointers

• Aston Villa have won only one of their last 29 Premier League meetings with United

• United have kept a clean sheet in seven of their last 11 visits to Villa Park in all competitions

• Only Arsène Wenger (nine) has more Premier League victories as a manager against United than Gérard Houllier (five)

• Nani has had more shots off-target than any other player in the division so far this season

• A win for Aston Villa would be their 50th victory over United in all competitions