Aston Villa boss Unai Emery says Manchester United ‘are having some more problems’ at home than away within the Premier League this season.
The Red Devils have made huge improvements from their disastrous 2024-25 campaign through which they finished fifteenth within the top-flight with no trophy.
Ruben Amorim’s side are sixth within the Premier League table after 16 games this term, just two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea as they give the impression of being to secure a top-four finish.
But United have only won 4 of their eight top-flight home games, losing to Arsenal and Everton at Old Trafford in August and November respectively before draws with West Ham and Bournemouth in December.
Those results mean United are higher within the Premier League away table (seventh) than the Premier League home table (eleventh) to this point this season.
Get personalised updates on Aston Villa daily
Get up to search out news in your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.
Enroll to our newsletter after which select your team within the link we’ll send you so we will get football news tailored to you.
‘[It will be] very difficult [for us this weekend],’ Emery said about United in his pre-match press conference on Friday.
‘After all, it’s United. And United, not just for [their] history as well, how they try to construct a team, they usually are, this yr, in fact, attempting to get [a] top position.
‘They’re performing very, thoroughly away [from home], thoroughly. And winning matches and performing and playing unbelievable.
‘At home, they’re having some more problems than away, but I respect them quite a bit because their history, how they’re performing, with the coach, latest coach, last yr and this yr I feel they’re recuperating.
‘With the players they’ve, they’ve very, superb players and offensively they’re performing unbelievable.
‘And we’re ready, but we’re respecting them and we’re being humble.
‘Be humble, especially on this moment, we should be humble, to try to know why we’re performing like we’re.’
Emery reveals ‘crazy’ stat before Man Utd game
Despite Emery highlighting United’s ‘problem’, it can don’t have any bearing on this weekend’s clash between the 2 clubs, which is going down at Villa Park within the West Midlands.
‘I feel in 30, 31 years, only thrice in 30 years or 31 years, only thrice at home, Aston Villa beat Manchester United,’ Emery added.
‘And I feel it is a really crazy number for Aston Villa, against Manchester United.’
The last meeting between the 2 sides at Villa Park led to a 0-0 attract October 2024.
Villa last beat United at home in November 2022, with a 3-1 victory that marked the proper begin to Emery’s reign as manager.
MORE: Danny Welbeck injury update ahead of Brighton vs Sunderland
MORE: Ruben Amorim hits out at ‘entitled’ Manchester United players after Harry Amass and Chido Obi posts
MORE: Jack Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall injury update ahead of Everton vs Arsenal