Aston Villa v Manchester United: Updates, team news and I'll put money on goals today

Manchester United have a few injuries and some might see this as an opportunity, but it isn't, really. We have a chance, but we always have a chance before kick off as anything can happen in ninety minutes.

Sure, if Sir Alex Ferguson made wholesale changes it could provide a glimmer of hope for us, like it did for Crystal Palace, but I think Alex McLeish would struggle to get a result against Crystal Palace at the moment and I don't think Sir Alex Ferguson will make wholesales changes to his preferred starting eleven today.

But we do have a chance. Talk is Barry Bannan will start - this is on the request of Sir Alex - he'd like a good look at him and our manager will do anything for his managerial hero. Bannan will do well, all things considered, just like he always does and always will, given the football.

And if we fight for 95 minutes and put ten men behind the ball, we might get a draw. We might also, if we convince the Manchester United players that we are sitting back, be able to get one or two on the counter. Problem with that is, they might have scored three or four by then.

Confidence is low

Yes, you've guessed it. My confidence is low. We could win today and I wouldn't even think for a moment that we could have turned the corner, because I know with my head and my heart that this manager doesn't even see the corner.

I know, that when I tally everything up - his 30% (or very close to that) win rate in the Premier League - that it isn't good enough and that win rate is over a more than just a couple of seasons and more than long enough for football supporters to see his style of play.

Sir Alex Ferguson might say supporters don't have the patience anymore and he is right. But times change and we see more games than we did in the 80's. Football has changed a lot - it is about time our club moved with them.

Updates, team news and banter

So, with low confidence, it can't get any worse for me today. My day is set and it can only get better. I think I quite like that. I don't think I'd like to support a team like Manchester United when they go into games believing they will win every week.

I guess you could say I'm just old fashioned and with that in mind, I'm going to do something quite 80's - I'm going to listen to the game on the radio. I will also be recording it and watching it later, but for the radio experience - I'm going back to the future and you know what is sad, I know there will be one or a few that don't know what 'back to the future' references, when reading that.

So before I go - team news is coming (t-shirts went out on Thursday I think to those expecting one) and you can always get involved below.

Odds

Question of the day

Because of the shit Alex McLeish, I don't think it will be a full house today, but I do think it will be close. What is your prediction for the attendance and do you think we will see a banner or two?