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Aston Villa v Man Utd team news: Martinez fit, Sesko back in

21 December 2025 449 comments
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The only Premier League match on an unusually quiet Sunday sees Aston Villa and Manchester United meet at Villa Park.

Kick-off is at 16:30 GMT.

TEAM NEWS

There’s just one change for Villa, as Emiliano Martinez returns in goal after a back injury.

He replaces Marco Bizot, who drops the bench.

Evann Guessand, a late call-up to the Ivory Coast squad for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), will join up with his national team after Gameweek 17 and is consequently named on the bench here.

As for United, Patrick Dorgu, Manuel Ugarte and Benjamin Sesko start for the visitors.

Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo, who are both away at AFCON, and the suspended Casemiro make way.

Kobbie Mainoo misses out due to a small injury picked up in training.

LINE-UPS

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Lindelof, Maatsen, McGinn, Kamara, Onana, Rogers, Tielemans, Watkins

Subs: Bizot, Digne, Garcia, Routh, Bogarde, Hemmings, Buendia, Malen, Guessand

Manchester United XI: Lammens, Yoro, Heaven, Shaw, Dalot, Ugarte, Fernandes, Dorgu, Mount, Cunha, Sesko

Subs: Bayindir, Heaton, Fredricson, Malacia, Mantato, Martinez, Fletcher, Lacey, Zirkzee

LIVE GAMEWEEK PAGE!

New to Fantasy Football Scout is the Live Gameweek page, which you can see on the side menu.

Here you can follow the scores, watch the defensive contribution (DC) points roll in, see who the leading players are for xG and more as the games play out, as seen below:

449 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Yes Ndidi
    • 6 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Mainoo injured in training?

    OK

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    1. GC123
      • 4 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Yeah I’m not having that. Weird. Kobbie has clearly had enough

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    2. king_of_bongo
      • 15 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      100% he's not injured.
      Will be sold in Jan. And he will probably excel wherever he goes...
      Tragic as he had a lot of potential at Man U.

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      1. x.jim.x
        • 11 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        He will be loaned out at most

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    3. mookie
      • 12 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Nice gathering of "The Overlap" loyals.

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    4. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 15 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Inflated ego and overrated

      Media love it as it’s united and anything to pile on him. End of the day either his performance in training or his attitude has been shite. So if either he should leave

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      1. x.jim.x
        • 11 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        "Inflated ego" based on?

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  2. Scapegoat Salah
    • 9 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Matty Cash going LARGE?

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  3. ‘Tis the Season
    • 7 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Predict 3-0 to Villa

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    1. Scapegoat Salah
      • 9 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Matty Cash hat trick?

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      1. Captain Mal
        • 1 Year
        3 months, 23 days ago

        3 goals and 3 assists

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    2. mookie
      • 12 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      1-1

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    3. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      That's quite bold

      Think both teams score

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  4. FPL Sanky
    • 2 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Brunooo get me another 13 pointer champ

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    1. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Yep

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    2. brianutd-why always we? 20
      • 14 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Please

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  5. brianutd-why always we? 20
    • 14 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Watch Lindelof boss this one….

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    1. brianutd-why always we? 20
      • 14 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      And Watto…

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  6. ViperStripes
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Hiding behind sofa as I don't have BrunoF

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  7. mookie
    • 12 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Villa 16,7 xG > 25 goals (+8,3 over-performance)
    Villa 21,4 xGC > 17 conceded (+4,4 over-performance)

    United 30,2 xG > 30 goals (-0,2 under-performance)
    United 21,7 xGC > 26 conceded (-4,3 under-performance)

    That Villa over-performance is off the rails.

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    1. Captain Mal
      • 1 Year
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Taking into account their no. 9 is underperforming his xG by 1.5 makes it even more wild.

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  8. Brosstan
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Uniteds team and bench... yuk... Cunha double up with Bruno was a mistake for sure

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    1. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Who did you think was going to play? Only Mainoo's absence is a surprise today, and he wasn't even going to start.

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      1. Brosstan
        • 11 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        No surprises really, just a realization that Cunha was a mistake.

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        1. x.jim.x
          • 11 Years
          3 months, 23 days ago

          He had a good chance about 30 seconds ago, this is a tad premature

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  9. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    2-2

    Score prediction

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    1. F4L
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      3-1

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  10. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    I hate ref cam already

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    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Yeah

      It's unwatchable

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  11. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Unlucky from Cunha there

    Looked like it was heading in at first

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    1. Captain Mal
      • 1 Year
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Cunha scored against Villa in both games last season. Looking to pick up where he left off.

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    2. Brosstan
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Looked close but the way he shot it was impossible to score really. Needed to break the laws of physics with the curl.

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      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Not really

        It was just a little wide

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  12. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    If Bruno is fine after today's game

    Looks like a straight choice between

    1. Saka and Thiago

    2. Rice and Ekitike + £1.1m

    Which is the better combo?

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    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      I did Thiago and Saka to Rice and Ekitike and £1.5m last night and saved .2m. Seemed like a no brainer to me.

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    2. Captain Mal
      • 1 Year
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Doesn't feel particularly close if you put it like that, the second choice should win by a landslide.

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    3. Brosstan
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      B is no brainer better. Especially with Isak out.

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    4. F4L
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      2

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  13. Captain Mal
    • 1 Year
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Interesting to note that both teams have 1 loss in their last 10 PL matches.

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  14. F4L
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    damn sesko, bruno pass

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  15. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Sesko blows Bruno assist

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  16. Count of Monte Hristo
    • 12 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Raya, Timber, Hincapié triple up worked well last night and took me to 81 all out. Just need a Rogers and Bruno blank and we are in business.

    Can’t afford Ekitike + Bruno. If I want Bruno for the Wolves game and without any hits it means Thiago > DCL + Semenyo > Bruno.

    Would you make those moves?

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    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Apparently Timber is losing a bap and it’s going to Raya. Won’t affect you, but a 2pt swing for me would be very useful.

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      1. Count of Monte Hristo
        • 12 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Interesting, would that be confirmed after the Monday night fixture?

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        1. The Bandit
          • 15 Years
          3 months, 23 days ago

          Maybe tonight?

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    2. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Semenyo is worth holding

      But the fixtures aren't great for Bournemouth so it is not the worst move to make

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      1. Count of Monte Hristo
        • 12 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Ideally would keep Semenyo and sell Kudus for Bruno but I am 0.6 away from that.

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        1. AC/DC AFC
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          3 months, 23 days ago

          Yeah

          Some sacrifices have to be made in midfield

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  17. Brosstan
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Sesko wasting Bruno A... Good buries those

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    1. Brosstan
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Good striker*

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  18. G Banger
    • 7 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Thiago your time has come, what would you do with him:
    a) Bowen
    b) Etikite (-4)

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    1. F4L
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      b

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  19. F4L
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    if martinez is struggling united should just shoot as soon as possible

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    1. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Got to get out own half first

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  20. g40steve
    • 8 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Ugarte is ####

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    1. Cojones of Destiny
      • 8 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      very much so

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    2. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      No wonder they have lost the last 6 games he has played in.

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  21. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    How much is Ugarte paid each week?

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    1. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Too much, United tax

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    2. Monklane
      • 16 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      More than I make in a lifetime.

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      1. x.jim.x
        • 11 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        He’s on £120k - brother, you need a new job

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        1. FPL Blow-In
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 months, 23 days ago

          🙂

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        2. AC/DC AFC
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          3 months, 23 days ago

          More than most people make in a year.

          Also he pays more tax than many large companies do in absolute terms.

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          1. x.jim.x
            • 11 Years
            3 months, 23 days ago

            You think most people make less than £120k in their lives?

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  22. Brosstan
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Cunha is the only one trying in United's attack but hes surrounded by dross. The wing backs in particular are awful. I dont think Ive ever seen Dorgu or Dalot do anything positive going forward.

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    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      I was half considering Sesko as a Mateta replacement due to fixtures but quickly gave my head a wobble

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    2. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Dalot has a goal and 2 assists in his last 3 games

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  23. F4L
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    interesting match this, united pressing pretty high. just hope it doesnt end up somehow 0-0

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  24. g40steve
    • 8 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Bruno hammy

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  25. F4L
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    oh god not bruno injured

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  26. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Uh oh

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  27. brianutd-why always we? 20
    • 14 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Noooooo Bruno hammy

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  28. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 15 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Bruno hammy

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  29. tutankamun
    • 16 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Playing on…

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    1. Count of Monte Hristo
      • 12 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Until he pings a pass or has to sprint. Not going to end well.

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  30. Brosstan
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Bruno hammy. Season over for United

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