Up to nine players could miss Manchester United’s Premier League clash against Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon.
Manchester United had the weekend off from action after their FA Cup exit, giving Michael Carrick’s side time to reset following a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle in midweek.
It was the Reds’ first Premier League loss since the start of the year, but their position in the table remains strong. They currently sit third, ahead of Aston Villa on goal difference, with Chelsea and Liverpool both three points behind.
United return to action on Sunday with a mid-afternoon kick-off at Old Trafford against Aston Villa, in a match that could prove crucial in the race for Champions League qualification.
Unai Emery’s side endured a difficult start to the season, but an impressive run of 11 consecutive wins toward the end of last year propelled them into the top four. However, with just one victory in their last five league matches, they are now at risk of slipping out of the leading positions.
Premier League confirm United vs Villa officials
Anthony Taylor (pictured above) will be the referee on Sunday afternoon in Manchester. Taylor has officiated 22 Premier League fixtures this season, as well as seven UEFA ties and one FA Cup round.
Taylor has officiated United on four occasions this campaign. He officiated both Manchester Derby games, a 1-0 win over Newcastle, and a 4-2 win over Brighton. The three wins he officiated all came at Old Trafford.
This season, Taylor has issued 84 yellow cards in the Premier League and 117 across all competitions. He has issued three red cards this season (two straight reds) and has awarded seven penalties, four of which came in the Premier League.
During the game, Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn will serve as Taylor’s assistant referees. Ben Toner will be the fourth official on Sunday afternoon, separating Carrick and Unai Emery.
Jarred Gillett has been appointed as the Video Assistant Referee. Richard West will act as assistant VAR.
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Nine players could miss Old Trafford clash
At the same time, there are up to nine players across both teams who could miss the crunch clash at Old Trafford. For United, Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu will not feature, and Matthijs de Ligt is unlikely to, while news has emerged that Lisandro Martínez is also set to be absent.
However, there is hope that Noussair Mazraoui will be fit to play despite coming off injured against Newcastle last week, and Mason Mount may make a return to the squad.
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For Aston Villa, the situation is a little more dire, with key players all expected to miss upcoming games. The Villains have a Europa League tie against Lille on Thursday evening, and up to six players could miss that game and the following one at Old Trafford.
Matty Cash is a doubt for both ties, having come off injured in the recent loss against Chelsea, while John McGinn is still a few weeks away from action. Harvey Elliott has an undisclosed injury with no definitive return timeline, and Youri Tielemans, Andrès Garcia, and Boubacar Kamara will not feature.
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