- Premier League updates from the 7.45pm BST kick-off at Villa Park
- Email niall.mcveigh.casual@theguardian.com or tweet @niallmcveigh
6.30pm BST
19th August, 1995. The Blur v Oasis chart battle was in full swing, and Tim Sherwood was still rinsing the champagne from his hair as Blackburn began their title defence. In Amsterdam, Louis van Gaal was basking in the glow of Champions League glory, while at Villa Park, Alex Ferguson’s young, fresh Manchester United side lost 3-1, prompting Alan Hansen to make the kind of sweeping statement that’s best avoided in the punditry game.
It was (almost) twenty years ago today, and Villa haven’t beaten United at home in the league since. They gave it a decent shot last season, leading 1-0 at half-time before a Falcao header and a shocker of a sending off allowed United to sneak a draw. This time, it might be different – Sherwood will be hoping that under the Friday night lights, Villa can end two decades of clear eyes, full hearts, can’t win.
6.30pm BST
Van Gaal has been busy too, with Ángel di María and Robin van Persie spat out by the Old Trafford revolving door as Memphis Depay, Morgan Schneiderlin, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Matteo Darmian and Sergio Romero have joined, all for a net spend a shade over £10 million. Whether this proves a good or bad window may very well depend on how the David de Gea saga ends; Romero will continue in goal tonight. To paraphrase Hansen, you won’t win anything with your best goalkeeper sitting in the stands.
Everything’s nicely poised for a ripping, one-off Friday occasion brought to us by Policing Concerns, rather than Sky (that starts next season). United’s travelling fans shouldn’t have too much to complain about, given their team’s record here and the short journey home. After all, it’s not like a massive hole just opened up in the Mancunian Way, is it? Oh.
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