Manchester United vs Aston Villa

Manchester United, still reeling from their Europa League final defeat, will play top-five contenders Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon at Old Trafford to wrap off the 2024–25 season.

For the first time since their goalless draw at Villa Park in October of last year, the two teams square off. Even though Man United's Premier League season is coming to a close, they still hope to leave on a high note. This Parimatch offer is ideal if you believe they can win and end Villa's chances of qualifying for the Champions League.

On Wednesday night, Manchester United faced a critical Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur, with a Champions League spot on the line. A 1-0 loss, however, confirmed that the Red Devils will miss out on European football next season, marking only the second time in 35 years they’ve faced such a fate.

Despite controlling much of the game against Spurs, United’s persistent struggle to convert chances in the final third cost them dearly. This season has been a historic low, mirroring their relegation campaign of 1973-74. With 18 losses in 37 Premier League matches, including a joint-record nine home defeats at Old Trafford, United have amassed just 39 points, languishing in 16th place—their worst-ever Premier League finish, surpassing last season’s eighth-place low.

The spotlight now turns to the future of head coach Ruben Amorim, whose win rate stands at a modest 36.6% across 41 matches. While Amorim has expressed readiness to step down if the club or fans lose faith, he remains confident in his ability to lead. His immediate challenge is rallying the squad for their final match against Aston Villa. United’s recent form is dire, winless in their last eight league games (two draws, six losses), though they’ve historically dominated Villa, winning 40 times, a record only surpassed by their 42 victories over Everton.

Aston Villa, in contrast, are in fine form, coming off a 2-0 win over Tottenham that bolstered their hopes of securing back-to-back Champions League qualifications. Unai Emery’s side have won three straight league games without conceding and nine of their last 11, a stark contrast to United’s 10 wins all season. Sitting sixth, level on points with Newcastle (fourth) and Chelsea (fifth) but trailing on goal difference, Villa’s top-five fate hinges on outpacing at least one of those rivals or hoping third-placed Manchester City, two points ahead, stumble against Fulham.

Emery has voiced excitement and full commitment to the Old Trafford clash, proud of Villa’s guaranteed European spot next season regardless of the outcome. While Villa’s away record on the final day is poor—one win in their last 26 such games—they’ve been competitive against United, earning eight points from their last seven league encounters (two wins, two draws, three losses), offering optimism for Sunday’s matchup.