Man Utd v Aston Villa preview

Rooney: Suspended

PREDICTIONS
Skysports.com prediction: Man Utd 2 Aston Villa 1
Sky Bet odds: Man Utd 2/5 Draw 10/3 Aston Villa 15/2
One to watch: Gabriel Agbonlahor

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Manchester United will be looking to get their title charge back on track as they welcome out-of-form Aston Villa to Old Trafford on Sunday.

The Red Devils face the prospect of starting the match in second place if Liverpool can avoid defeat at Fulham on Saturday.

United have seen their seven-point lead at the top whittled away to just a point after two successive Premier League defeats although they do have a game in hand on their title rivals.

Meanwhile Villa have seen their grip on the top four loosen significantly in recent weeks after going five league games without a win and succumbing 5-0 at Anfield last time out.

Man United team news

United will be without suspended duo Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes after both were sent off in the 2-0 defeat to Fulham in their last league outing.

Defender Nemanja Vidic will also be absent through suspension as he sits out the final game of a two-match ban after he was shown a straight red in the 4-1 defeat to Liverpool.

Striker Dimitar Berbatov has been ruled out for two weeks after he injured his ankle against the Cottagers.

The 28-year-old hobbled off at Craven Cottage and was forced to withdraw from the Bulgaria squad for last week's World Cup qualifiers as a result.

Anderson could also miss out through a knee injury he picked up while away on international duty with Brazil.

Rio Ferdinand should be passed fit despite being withdrawn late on in England's 2-1 win over Ukraine in midweek with a back complaint.

Fellow defender Gary Neville has proved his fitness ahead of the clash after coming through a reserve game unscathed earlier in the week.

Wes Brown (foot), Rafael (ankle) and Owen Hargreaves (knee) remain sidelined.

Villa team news

Striker Emile Heskey will miss out for Villa with the hamstring injury that forced him off for England against Slovakia last week.

Gabriel Agbonlahor should replace the former Wigan man after he was dropped to the bench for the trip to Liverpool and partner John Carew up front.

Left-back Wilfred Bouma could return from an eight-month lay-off at Old Trafford after playing his third successive reserve game earlier this week.

The Dutchman has been out since July after dislocating his ankle in an Intertoto Cup match.

Goalkeeper Brad Friedel will remain between the sticks after his sending off at Anfield was rescinded.

Martin O'Neill's side will have to rip up the form book if they are to get maximum points on Sunday with Villa's last win at Old Trafford coming in 1983.

Possible starting XIs

Man Utd: Van der Sar, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra, Park, Ronaldo, Fletcher, Carrick, Giggs, Tevez.

Aston Villa: Friedel, L Young, Bouma, Davies, Cuellar, Milner, A Young, Petrov, Barry, Agbonlahor, Carew.

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