The Villa attacker’s caught Peter Crouch’s eye this season.

After a dodgy start, Aston Villa have become the form team of the Premier League this season and even though Unai Emery might not want to say it, they’re in the title race after extending their run of form to 15 wins in 17 games with a 3-2 win away at West Ham.

They take on a Man United team that doesn’t look as bad as the side that finished last season in 15th, but a 4-4 draw against Bournemouth on Monday night showed plenty of frailties at the back.

Ready to deliver his verdict on Sunday’s meeting at Villa Park is former Villan – though always a hero to us – Peter Crouch with his best bets for the Aston Villa v Man United.

And remember, any player bets are covered by Super Sub, where, if your selection is taken off, your bet rolls on…

Morgan Rogers to have 1+ shots on target
Aston Villa to win
Bruno Fernandes to have 2+ shots
Bruno Fernandes to be fouled 1+ times
Boubacar Kamara to commit 1+ fouls

A Bet Builder on these selections pays at approximately 5/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK OR TAP HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP

WHEN: Sunday, December 22nd, 4:30pm
WHERE: Villa Park, Birmingham
WATCH: Sky Sports Main Event

Considering the games they’ve won recently, it would’ve been a big disappointment for Villa to lose, or even draw, at West Ham last weekend. 

They’re really struggling and it felt like they were going to take a massive scalp, but Villa deserve credit for the manner they came back and won.

Morgan Rogers to have 1+ shots on Target

You have to say Morgan Rogers’ goal was first class – to pull that out when he did and grab all three points, it was brilliant. He’s got so much talent – he has great feet, he can drift past people and dribble through the centre of the pitch, he gets his shots off and is getting goals.

It’s obvious that Thomas Tuchel likes him and if he continues to play like this he’ll be undroppable for England. I’d fancy him for another goal against United and will have him for a shot on target in my Bet Builder.

The strange thing is Villa would probably be top of the league if they’d not had that poor start to the season, they had only three points and one goal after the first five games. And now you can’t discount them in the title race. 

A lot of teams who are expected to challenge have shown frailties. There was an air of invincibility in recent years around the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal, but that’s not there at the moment.

Now, I look at their squad and while it’s not as good as Arsenal’s, City’s or Liverpool’s, they are consistently churning out results, and their first XI can compete with anyone.

ASTON VILLA TO WIN

They should be too good for United on Sunday. Ruben Amorim’s side are very difficult team to understand at the moment. You see they are in sixth and a couple of points behind Chelsea and you think that’s not a disaster by any means, but then you see the game on Monday night where it finishes 4-4.

Not winning that when you’ve fought back to get the lead must be so deflating. Everyone goes away thinking what an amazing game we’ve seen but, in the end, they’ve drawn with Bournemouth at Old Trafford. In previous seasons that would’ve been seen as a bad result, but it looks like a good point now.

While United have improved this season, and they have the forwards to get in the top four, it still feels like they’re no more than a couple of bad results from a crisis. 

They are without their AFCON players now too, Bryan Mbuemo and Amad Diallo are gone, along with Noussair Mazraoui, and Casemiro’s suspended as well, so I have to pick Villa to win at home on Sunday.

BRUNO FERNANDES TO HAVE 2+ SHOTS
BRUNO FERNANDES TO BE FOULED 1+ TIMES

Bruno Fernandes got the fourth goal on Monday night before all hell broke loose with the Bournemouth equaliser. He plays every game and is a first-class footballer for me even if he’s not everyone’s cup of tea. 

For United, he looks their likeliest goal threat, and Mbuemo’s absence only strengthens that. The stats show him with 26 shots in his last seven games for United as well, so two or more is a no-brainer.

He doesn’t get fouled at the same rate, but he has been fouled 27 times this season for club and country, including four times in his last four games.

Boubacar Kamara to commit 1+ fouls

Villa’s French midfielder had two fouls in that comeback win against West Ham last weekend and has 16 this season which have earned him four yellow cards. This should be a competitive game and that ought to see him commit at least one more.

Morgan Rogers to have 1+ shots on target
Aston Villa to win
Bruno Fernandes to have 2+ shots
Bruno Fernandes to be fouled 1+ times
Boubacar Kamara to commit 1+ fouls

A Bet Builder on these selections pays at approximately 5/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK OR TAP HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP

*All odds quoted are correct at time of publication but subject to change

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