Carling Cup Final Preview – Aston Villa vs Manchester United

The Premier League’s meanest defence takes on the League’s best attack this sunday as Wayne Rooney will be the man taking centre stage once more.

Rooney will be looking to make amends after missing last years showpiece final through illness and he has a chance to help United to retain a cup trophy for the first time in their history.

The Manchester United and England striker has been in sensational form this season hitting 27 goals in 35 appearances in all competitions and it will be up to Aston Villa to stop him for a third time this season. Rooney says he is eager to play in Sunday’s Carling Cup Final.

He explains: “This is why you join a club like Manchester United, to win trophies and play in cup finals. Playing at Wembley is still a great feeling. Hopefully, I’ll play Sunday and we can win the trophy.”

The England man is well on the way to being the 4th manchester united player in a row to win PFA player of the year and Villa will surely have to keep him quiet if they are to win their first trophy for 14 years.

Aston Villa however, will have to overcome a team that they have beaten just twice in 37 attempts. This Aston Villa team seems to be made of sterner stuff these days though after taking four points from Manchester United this season including an impressive 1-0 win at Old Trafford.

Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neil is relishing the challenge of bringing back the glory days to Villa Park, the former leicester boss won the trophy twice in his time their. “This is a fantastic challenge,” O’Neill said.

“I am well aware of the history of this football club. Trying to restore it to its days of former glory seems a long way away, but why not try? It is nearly 25 years since they won the European Cup but that is the dream.”

Manchester United who, at times, have looked a shadow of the team that has won 3 consecutive premier league titles and been to one champions league are going in to the game without Rio Ferdinand, John O’Shea and Anderson.

However the return of Nemanja Vidic to the starting line up will be a boost to the defence that was exposed badly by Everton and at times by AC Milan.

The semi finals have re-ignited a lot of interest into the carling cup this year, Aston Villa’s stunning 7-4 win against Blackburn followed by Manchester United’s epic late winner in the manchester derby were arguably two of the games of the season.

Manchester United will rightly be favourites this Sunday, but this is not the same Manchester United from 2008, and Aston Villa are an ever improving side.

Match Prediction:- Aston Villa 2-1 Manchester United, Wayne Rooney to have a good game but Agbonlahor to steal the show.

match odds:- Manchester United: 4/5,  Draw: 13/5,  Aston Villa: 7/2

Possible starting XI\’s: Aston Villa: Friedel, Warnock, Collins, Dunne, Cuellar, Petrov, Milner, Downing, A Young, Agbonlahor, Heskey

Manchester United : Foster, Neville, Vidic, Brown, Evra, Carrick, Fletcher, Scholes, Park, Valencia, Rooney