We were unlucky against Manchester United last time out and they were very fortunate. It was almost as if the referees were trying to find a way for our goal to not stand and we were the better side. They're now what they once were.
And Ronaldo isn't going to change that with his approach, I think it's only going to antagonise players. But there is change happening at Manchester United and that can take time. But like I wrote last time, they have the quality to make things happen, but they're just so average and fortunate at the moment.
And we should be optimistic because things haven't felt this good at Aston Villa for a long time. Even I feel like things are heading in the right direction with these owners and if things don't work out now, I've got a feeling that things are going to.
In other news, rumour on the street says that Carney Chukwuemeka is about to sign a new contract at the Club and that there might be one other player coming quite soon. It feels a little like a lot of change and you all know I'm against that, however, the change is happening now and hopefully it gives the players time to get to know each other ahead of next season.
Anyway, enough from me, team news is coming but until them, I'm going to watch and support Watford.
Match facts from the BBC
Head-to-head
- Aston Villa won the reverse league fixture 1-0 and could do the double against Manchester United for the first time since 1954-55.
- However, Villa's current winless run of 22 Premier League home games against United is a top-flight record (D7, L15).
- The Birmingham side's most recent home league victory in this fixture was by 3-1 in August 1995. They also won 3-0 in the League Cup in 1999.
- Manchester United were awarded a penalty in each of the past four Premier League meetings. Bruno Fernandes took all four, scoring the first three but missing at Old Trafford last September.
Aston Villa
- Villa have lost 10 of their past 14 competitive fixtures, including the last three in a row.
- Their total of 21 Premier League home defeats since returning to the top flight in 2019 is the most of any club.
- They could go 17 top-flight matches without a draw for the first time since a run of 29 between September 1964 and April 1965.
- Aston Villa are one of three clubs to have scored in all of their Premier League home games this season, alongside Liverpool and West Ham.
- Philippe Coutinho was directly involved in 77 goals in 152 Premier League matches for Liverpool between 2013-17, scoring 41 and setting up 36.
- Coutinho scored on his most recent competitive appearance against Manchester United, in Barcelona's 3-0 Champions League quarter-final home victory in April 2019.
Manchester United
- The Red Devils could lose their opening two league games of a calendar year for the first time since 1985.
- They have equalled the club record of six Premier League defeats at the halfway stage of a season, previously set in 2001-02.
- Manchester United dropped points in four of their past six away league matches.
- Cristiano Ronaldo has scored eight goals in nine league starts versus Aston Villa. January is his most productive month, with 60 goals in 74 career league appearances.
- Bruno Fernandes has gone 12 away appearances without a goal for United since he scored a penalty in a 3-1 Premier League win at Villa Park last May.