Weekend Outlook (21 Nov 2008)

Aston Villa vs Manchester United

"...Possession was an astonishing 68% which meant that we almost played monkey with them (Stoke City) for the entire 90 mins...."

- JayWalk, 21 Nov 2008

It was almost identical stats with that of the game against QPR but the scoreline this time round certainly is vastly different and if I may add, this 5-0 scoreline is more apt to reflect the stats.

Despite recent scalps, ManUtd has finally put these young punks in their place with a 5-0 thumping and zero shots-on-goal against us.

Possession was an astonishing 68% which meant that we almost played monkey with them for the entire 90 mins.

Looking ahead, we have the Villarreal game after this weekend and a point from the game will not only book us to the second round but also virtually reserved the top spot under our names. Granted that a win would be even better and rendering the last game against Aalborg meaningless, once perhaps have to aim a little bit more realistically.

JayWalk The Talk: The sickbay is going to be quite full this weekend as we have Brown, Scholes, Berbatov, Rooney, Ferdinand, Hargreaves and Fletcher reporting sick of various seriousness.

Tevez and Ronaldo will be partnered up front with Carrick, Nani and Anderson taking the midfield. I won't be surprised if Giggs gets a call up to put on the Captain's armband.

Not much problem on the Villa side, perhaps except Bouma.

JayWalk The Walk: If tradition is anything to go by, then perhaps the punt will be on ManUtd who has won at Villa Park for the last 11 consecutive times? We are possibly Aston Villa's bogey team. Aston Villa is the only team in the EPL to have lost and conceded the most goals to us.

Surprisingly, bookies are making ManUtd give up a mere 0.5-ball handicap at a relatively modest 1.85 decimal odds to beat it.

Perhaps the confidence was discounted by the growing numbers of casualties in the ManUtd sickbay and right at the time when Villa's players are returing from injuries.

I think at 0.5-ball is worth a punt as I do not foresee the jinx hoodoo being broken anytime soon.

Disclaimer: The above views are purely my own two-cents' worth. In other words, I cannot and will not guarantee that my predictions are accurate. If you want to bet on the game, do so at your own risk. Also, please bet responsibly and within your means regardless of how "sure thing" that game may appear to be. As the old saying goes, "The Ball Is Round". Good luck.