Frank Christian
On Sunday, Aston Villa faces Manchester United in a highly anticipated Premier League clash, following contrasting results in Europe during the midweek.
Villa Park erupted as Aston Villa celebrated a thrilling 1-0 victory against Bayern Munich, thanks to Jhon Duran’s impressive goal. This win reflects Villa’s steady progress under manager Unai Emery.
In stark contrast, Manchester United’s performance was marred by a chaotic 3-3 draw against Porto in the UEFA Europa League, further intensifying the drama surrounding Erik ten Hag’s team.
With the October international break approaching, anticipation grows about potential changes at Old Trafford, although Ten Hag has shown resilience in critical matches, as evidenced by his FA Cup final success.
The Sporting News is providing live updates and commentary for the Aston Villa vs. Manchester United match.
Latest live updates | Team news and lineups | Where to watch where you are
Aston Villa vs. Manchester United score
| 2nd Half | Goal scorers | |
| Aston Villa | 0 | |
| Man Utd | 0 |
Location: Villa Park, Birmingham
Referee: Robert Jones (England)
Follow every game and goal through SN’s live Premier League scoreboard.
Lineups:
Aston Villa (4-3-3): 23. Emiliano Martinez (GK) — 2. Matty Cash, 4. Ezri Konsa (3. Diego Carlos), 14. Pau Torres, 12. Lucas Digne — 19. Jaden Philogene, 6. Ross Barkley, 8. Youri Tielemans — 31. Leon Bailey, 11. Ollie Watkins, 27. Morgan Rogers
Man United (4-2-3-1): 24. Andre Onana (GK) — 3. Noussair Mazraoui (2. Victor Lindelof), 5. Harry Maguire (4. Matthijs de Ligt), 35. Jonny Evans, 20. Diogo Dalot — 14. Christian Eriksen, 37. Kobbie Mainoo — 17. Alejandro Garnacho, 8. Bruno Fernandes, 10. Marcus Rashford — 9. Rasmus Hojlund
Aston Villa vs. Manchester United live updates, highlights, and commentary
51 mins: Villa transitions well, winning a corner after Digne’s attack, but Cash’s shot goes over the bar.
49 mins: Rashford unleashes a powerful shot, but Martinez deflects it over. United fails to convert from the subsequent corner as Garnacho misses.
Second Half Begins
We’re back in action with two substitutions for United. Lindelof steps in for Maguire, and Mazraoui is also replaced, marking Lindelof’s first Premier League game since March.
Halftime Analysis
The first half lacked excitement and quality. For Ten Hag, the calm nature of the first half might provide some relief during a turbulent period. Meanwhile, Villa needs to elevate their performance after their victory over Bayern.
45 mins+3: Another free-kick taken poorly by Digne. Maguire suffers an injury and appears to be in considerable pain.
45 mins+1: Three minutes of added time. Hojlund pursues a through ball but is halted by Carlos.
44 mins: Yet another futile free-kick attempt by Tielemans, easily handled by Onana.
43 mins: Garnacho’s oversight earns Villa a free-kick in a favorable crossing position.
40 mins: Maguire deflects a shot from Bailey, clearing the danger. A foul from Digne halts Villa’s progress.
37 mins: A Villa free-kick is awarded as Maguire fouls Watkins, but it proves unproductive.
36 mins: Digne’s excellent cross fails to connect with Bailey, who misses a crucial opportunity.
32 mins: Rogers pushes forward but the threat is extinguished, and Villa wins a corner that goes wasted.
29 mins: A heavy touch from Barkley stops Villa’s momentum as Evans recovers.
26 mins: Dalot’s slip creates a brief scare, but United manages to hold off Villa’s attack.
20 mins: Philogene’s long-range attempt is well-struck but goes wide. This underlines United’s defensive struggles.
17 mins: Hojlund tries to exploit space, but Carlos blocks effectively.
11 mins: An early substitution for Villa as Konsa is replaced by Carlos, impacting their defensive setup.
8 mins: Villa seems more dynamic, as Rogers nearly scores but misses right from the edge of the box.
4 mins: United’s reshuffled defense copes with Villa’s set-piece from Digne.
3 mins: Eriksen receives an early booking for a foul on Rogers, a concerning start for him.
First Half Kickoff
The match begins, presenting a crucial opportunity for United and Ten Hag.
2 mins before kickoff: The teams are entering the field, ready for what could be an essential match!
20 mins before kickoff: Ten Hag has justified his lineup changes based on the unique challenges posed by Villa’s dynamic style.
40 mins before kickoff: Gary Neville comments on United’s unexpected defensive choices, hinting at the precarious situation Ten Hag may be in.
Neville humorously reflects on the situation of United’s defense and expresses disbelief at the current state of squad selections.
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If you had told me that six or seven games in, these two would be the starting centre-backs, I would have assumed it was due to multiple injuries among others. It’s surprising to see De Ligt and Martinez benched. However, it’s hard to contest the managerial decisions based on football logic—especially after witnessing the poor defensive display from them in Porto.
From a strategic standpoint, Erik ten Hag aimed to develop an aggressive playing style, pushing the team higher up the pitch this season. Yet now, with Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans as the defensive pair, United risks becoming overly defensive, running contrary to the plan. It reminds me of a manager nearing the end of their tenure who starts favoring trusted or younger players in a desperate attempt to salvage results.
Historically, United has managed to secure positive outcomes when needed under Ten Hag, and it will be interesting to see how this unfolds shortly.
1 hour before kickoff: Matty Cash returns as the right-back for Villa, moving Ezri Konsa to partner Pau Torres in central defense. Despite his recent remarkable performance against Bayern Munich, Jhon Duran remains on the bench. Jaden Philogene, however, earns a place in the starting eleven for the first time in the Premier League after his excellent midweek display.
Our starting XI for today’s match against Manchester United. #AVLMUN || #UpTheVilla pic.twitter.com/DJWUmEENZ5
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) October 6, 2024
1 hour 15 mins before kickoff: The lineups have been announced. Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho are in the starting lineup, each having played a half in Porto; they support Rasmus Hojlund, who makes his first Premier League start after scoring midweek. Ten Hag opts for a new defensive pairing, bringing in Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans in place of De Ligt and Martinez. Kobbie Mainoo returns from injury, meaning Manuel Ugarte joins De Ligt on the bench. Bruno Fernandes, despite two red cards in recent matches, captains the side, as the league has rescinded the red against Tottenham.
Your United squad for #AVLMUN #MUFC || #PL
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 6, 2024
1 hr 40 mins before kickoff: There’s a stark contrast in the atmosphere surrounding these two teams as they prepare for Sunday. Jim Ratcliffe’s vague comments on Ten Hag’s future after the Porto match felt foreboding, while Unai Emery enjoys hero status among the Villa fans—a contrast to the managers United has sought post-Sir Alex Ferguson.
2 hours before kickoff: Welcome to The Sporting News’ live coverage of the match between Aston Villa and Manchester United. Villa is riding high from their Champions League success, while Erik ten Hag’s United is in urgent need of a positive performance.
Aston Villa vs. Manchester United Match Details
This Premier League encounter occurs at Villa Park in Birmingham, UK, on Sunday, October 6, kicking off at 2:00 PM local time.
Here are the kickoff times for selected regions:
| Date | Kickoff Time | |
| USA | Sun, Oct. 6 | 9:00 AM ET |
| Canada | Sun, Oct. 6 | 9:00 AM ET |
| Australia | Sun, Oct. 6 | 11:00 PM AEST |
| UK | Sun, Oct. 6 | 2:00 PM BST |
| India | Sun, Oct. 6 | 6:30 PM IST |
Aston Villa vs. Manchester United Team News
As Villa heads into the match, they face crucial injury issues. Key midfielders Amadou Onana and Jacob Ramsey are out due to injuries sustained against Bayern, although Leon Bailey makes a surprising return to the starting lineup.
Ross Barkley joins Youri Tielemans in midfield, with John McGinn currently sidelined with a hamstring issue. Jhon Duran remains as a substitute after his impressive performances off the bench.
Aston Villa (4-3-3, left to right): E. Martinez (GK) — Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne — Philogene, Barkley, Tielemans — Bailey, Watkins, Rogers
Injured: Onana, Ramsey, McGinn, Kamara, Mings
Suspended: None
On the other hand, Ten Hag has made the surprising decision to bench both Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt, opting for experienced players Jonny Evans and Harry Maguire in defense.
Marcus Rashford retains his position after being substituted during halftime in the Porto draw—a move Ten Hag deemed necessary for “rotation.” Alejandro Garnacho also joins the starting lineup.
Manuel Ugarte sits on the bench while Kobbie Mainoo returns to team up with Christian Eriksen in the midfield, and captain Bruno Fernandes is back after his red card from the Tottenham game was overturned.
Manchester United (4-2-3-1, left to right): Onana (GK) — Mazraoui, Maguire, Evans, Dalot — Eriksen, Mainoo — Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford — Hojlund
Injured: Malacia, Mount, Shaw, Yoro, Lindelof
Suspended: None
