Unai Emery, the head coach of Aston Villa, anticipates a drastically different game on Sunday compared to their other two encounters with Manchester United this year.
Villa's first opponent following selecting Emery to succeed Steven Gerrard in late October was United. The home team triumphed 3-1 at Villa Park in the rematch thanks to the new manager's boost. Four days later, the two teams met again in the third round of the Carabao Cup, and Erik ten Hag and company got their comeuppance at Old Trafford by twice coming from behind to win 4-2.
Villa's return to Manchester comes after a gap of five and a half months, and Emery anticipates another tough test as the squad works to qualify for European competition for the upcoming season.
"Very good, very good players," Emery replied when asked about United at a pre-match press conference, as relayed by Birmingham Live. "They are in the top four. United are usually there. They won the Carabao Cup, a trophy, and they will play in the final with the FA Cup. It’s a very good season for them.
"For us, it’s a good challenge. It’s a very different match compared to when I arrived here. Very different from the Carabao Cup when we lost there 4-2. It’ll be very difficult. We can face them and be very demanding. If we are doing it, we can have chances to take it.
Emery also admitted to watching and enjoying several United matches as a supporter rather than for analysis reasons lately. "They played against Sevilla. Played very well at home. But when you’re playing knock-out matches it is difficult," the Villa boss added.
"I watched the semi-final against Brighton, a good match. It was an amazing match yesterday vs Spurs. Both teams were offensive. In the end, it was a draw. More than analysing matches, I enjoyed it more as a supporter."
Meanwhile, after their 2-2 draw with Tottenham, Erik ten Hag charged some Manchester United players with performing at 90%.
Four days after their demanding FA Cup semi-final with Brighton, United blew a 2-0 halftime lead to draw 2-2 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the second time this month.
Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho gave United the lead at the half, but Pedro Porro scored in the 56th and Son Heung-min's tap-in in the 79th minutes to save the draw.
Prior to the game, Ten Hag said that he would have settled for a draw but expressed dissatisfaction with some aspects of United's ostensibly strong first-half performance.
"Before, I would be happy with a point," Ten Hag said. "And you see first half, although I don't think we played that brilliant, we had complete control."
"We had an overload in midfield, we used that very well, especially switching from right to left, we used that overload to score both goals."
"But, to be honest, before 2-0 they had a big chance to make it 1-1 and before that on our right side we conceded some counters and we were not good in positioning. Also, already before half time, we were not playing that well."
"After half time, there was a difference because we were not secure. Then you have to go into the fight and when you lose your battles, you don't go to crosses, you don't squeeze out, you don't close shots, you concede goals and that's what happened. Finally, you can be finally satisfied to take your point."
"We have the worst schedule in the Premier League and it will not change, so we have to take that but it cannot be an excuse. The time is enough to recover so our players are in demand to be ready and today we were not ready.
"Some thought 90% was enough, we lost focus, that's why we gave balls away, we didn't do our jobs in positioning and you concede goals. It was the case with both goals, but more you lose control of the game"
"You have to bring it every time, although I know they are not robots. It's a tough schedule, but it can't be, we can't accept, when you are playing for Man United and wearing the shirt then you have to give it on every occasion, every game. As a team, you have to get the win, then everyone is happy and satisfied."
"You have to prepare as a player, then you are ready for a battle and for a fight."
United scored thanks to Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford, but in their first game under interim manager Ryan Mason, Tottenham displayed the kind of energy that has severely been lacking for much of their tumultuous season. They were given hope by Pedro Porro's goal early in the second half, and Son's close-range goal capped the escape at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Sancho was given time and space to curl a beautiful finish into the far corner after Rashford found him on the left edge of the penalty box and it was his first goal in 14 appearances. He nearly got a second but Ivan Perisic cleared his attempt off the line.
Marcus Rashford had the Tottenham defense beat, and in the 44th minute, he made a break for it and scored his 29th goal of the year. Rashford sped past Eric Dier after receiving a feed from Bruno Fernandes and guided a controlled finish past Fraser Forster from eight yards.
In the second half, Tottenham fought harder, and Clement Lenglet's header from Perisic's cross hit the crossbar.
When the right-back blazed past David De Gea from just inside the area in the 56th minute, Porro, a much-maligned January acquisition from Sporting Lisbon, cut the lead in half.
When it appeared easier to score when the United midfielder broke through the Tottenham defense, Fernandes hit the bar.
With just De Gea to beat, Son squandered a golden opportunity to tie the score, and Dier missed an equally superb headed chance.
Tottenham was pushing forward with newfound vigor, and Son scored their well-earned equalizer in the 79th minute by tapping in Kane's cross at the far post.
Fans agree with Erik Ten Hag about some players not giving 100%
"ETH is right. No easy games in EPL and you need everyone giving their all for the team. Fred was uncharacteristically dire, but others were slack too."
- Lawrence Anderson
"They didn't they got 2-0 up and decided the game was over they should be screaming at each other let's get more i remember tevez screaming at Nani cos he passed backwards that was when we were 3up .. Any team in this league can score so keep going till the final whistle."
- Ronnie Wilson
However a section of the fans thinks Erik Ten Hag as well has to take the blame in Man United's bottling a 2-0 lead against Tottenham Hotspur.
"When the coach begins to substitute important players what message is he sending to the ones on the field?
ETH must take responsibility for how the team squandered these games after leading by 2 goals.
That never used to happen in Sir Ferguson. Once you're 2 goals up it's game over and that's how a big team must behave. He introduces wrong players on the pitch then confusing the style of play. Worgost the worst substitute ever...he comes on with no impact."
- Sylvester K
"Yes players has to take some of the blame ETH has to do the same . his sub was strange. Why take off Anthony . it happen before and then they end up dropping points"
- Anthony Murray
"He doesn't show the players what he expects of them. When United leads by a goal or two goals him and the players always feel safe which is one bad thing United is not aggressive, look at Newcastle they always want more,they give their 100%."
- Acidri Godfrey
"Ten Hag is bottling points up.
You have only 7 Matches to go why all this unnecessary changes all the time"
- Francis Agbo
However, according to Jermaine Jenas, the top four will not change until the end of the campaign as Aston Villa chases European football.
Villa sit six points behind fourth-place Manchester United with five games left in the season. If they win this weekend at Old Trafford, Unai Emery's team will have a chance to cut the deficit to three points.
United will play Brighton (A), West Ham (A), Wolves (H), Bournemouth (A), Chelsea (H), and Fulham (H) after the match against Villa. Jenas, a former midfielder in the Premier League, thinks United can secure a Champions League spot by winning those games.
"I don’t see that moving at all," Jenas told BT Sport. "I think even when I’m looking at those fixtures, they’re very favourable for United."
"Villa, Brighton, granted two very in-form teams, but after that Wolves, West Ham, Bournemouth, they’re all games that United will go and win and I don’t see the top four changing."
Wolves (A), Tottenham (H), Liverpool (A), and Brighton (H) will all be opponents for Aston Villa.
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