Aston Villa vs Man Utd: Hojlund scores AGAIN making it five goals from five
Kick-off – Aston Villa v Man Utd
1. Here we go! Referee Rob Jones blows the whistle, and Manchester United – in white shirts and red shorts – helps us on our way.
Villas are traditional in their famous burgundy and blue.
Here come the two teams!
On either side of a replica of the European Cup, Aston Villa and Manchester United players make their way through the wide tunnel at Villa Park and onto the pitch.
As United's stars roar in encouragement, the players in claret and blue look unfazed and determined.
There is also some atmosphere in the stadium, above the noise of the flares and fireworks that greet the teams.
Can Villa extend their lead over United to 11 points? Or will the Red Devils continue to hold on to the Champions League dream?
This will be followed by kick-off in the West Midlands.
Ten Hag is busy catching up
Manchester United are just one place behind Aston Villa in the battle for Champions League football, but are a whopping eight points behind today's opponents.
Suffice it for Erik ten Hag to insist that this afternoon's match is a must-win for the Red Devils if they want to overtake their rivals and secure a place in the top four.
We have to catch up. We know what position we are in. We've gotten into it and now we have to go one step further. [Today is a must-win] and that should be the approach in every match, because we have to catch up.
Erik ten Hag
Unai about the price
Unai Emery is in charge of his 100th Premier League match this afternoon and could set a new record in the process.
In his first game as Aston Villa boss, the Spaniard oversaw a 3-1 home win against Manchester United.
And he achieved something similar during his time at Arsenal, leading the Gunners to a 2-0 win against United in the Emirates in March 2019.
Another win today and Emery becomes the first manager to win the first three home games against the Red Devils in the Premier League.
The view from Villa Park
Graeme Bryce is our man in the press box this afternoon, and he's been in touch with his take on the team news…
“Erik ten Hag makes only one change from the team that defeated West Ham 3-0 last weekend.
“Raphael Varane replaces the injured Lisandro Martinez, who was left out against the Hammers with a knee injury.
Left back Luke Shaw celebrates his 250th Premier League appearance.
Villa boss Unai Emery also has an anniversary to celebrate as he takes charge of his 100th Premier League match.
“The Spaniard makes just one adjustment to the team that crashed out of the FA Cup after a 3-1 defeat to Chelsea, with Jacob Ramsey replacing Youri Tielemans.
“Meanwhile, Spanish defender Pau Torres remains on the bench as he recovers from a previous ankle injury.”
Red Devils definitely stay February
One of the most astonishing statistics to emerge in the build-up to this match is Manchester United's ability to pick up points in February.
In fact, the Red Devils are unbeaten in their last 24 Premier League matches taking place during the second month of the year (W15 D9) since losing 1-0 to Newcastle under Jose Mourinho in 2018.