Man United vs Aston Villa

Bet Builder 1 - 4/6 (bet365) - 1pt

1st Selection: Harry Maguire 1+ Fouls Won

Harry Maguire has won at least one foul in each of his seven appearances under Michael Carrick, highlighting a clear tactical shift that has increased his involvement higher up the pitch. Carrick’s system regularly asks Maguire to step out of defence and drive into midfield with the ball, inviting pressure from opposition forwards and midfielders attempting to halt his progression. He is also a target from opposition set pieces, as he wins quite a lot of his fouls from those positions too.

That role has naturally produced foul-winning opportunities. Across his last eight appearances his foul returns read 1, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 2 and 1, demonstrating a remarkably consistent trend. With Aston Villa likely to press aggressively through players such as Amadou Onana, Emiliano Buendía, Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers, Maguire should once again find himself under pressure when carrying the ball forward, giving him every chance to extend this run.

2nd Selection: Man United Double Chance

Manchester United sit third in the league table, firmly occupying a Champions League position and enjoying a strong run of form with just one defeat in their last eight league matches, that loss coming away at Newcastle last week. Their performances at Old Trafford have been particularly impressive, with four consecutive home victories and an overall unbeaten run of eight matches on their own ground.

United also benefit from a favourable schedule. With only one match per week at this stage of the season, Michael Carrick’s side have valuable recovery and preparation time between fixtures. Aston Villa, meanwhile, face a far more demanding calendar as they continue their European campaign, travelling to Lille on Thursday before making the trip to Old Trafford just three days later.

Villa’s form has also dipped slightly, with only one win in their last five matches as injuries in midfield have disrupted their rhythm. Given United’s strong home record and the physical advantage of a lighter schedule, the hosts look well placed to extend their unbeaten run at Old Trafford to nine matches.

Bet Builder @ 15/4 (0.25pts)

Harry Maguire 2+ Fouls Won
Man United Win

Worth backing higher lines on two of the selections at an attractive price too.