Weakened Man United visit in-form Aston Villa in pick of Premier League fixtures this weekend

Aston Villa's Amadou Onana in action against Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes/XINHUA

Aston Villa are probably the best team in the league at the moment for getting results. Sitting third and only one point behind Manchester City and three behind Arsenal, they are definitely in the title race.

They show the qualities that recent title holders display and that is to grind out results come what may. Last weekend, for instance, Villa disappointed West Ham fans with a 79-minute goal from the inform Morgan Rogers to end the match 3-2. He will give Leny Yoro a tough afternoon if the United full back retains his place.

United’s centre-back Ayden Heaven, described by Ruben Amorim as the future of the team’s defence, will be in for a rough, tough time from Ollie Watkins, Youri Tielemans and John McGinn who are all capable of scoring from inside or outside the penalty area and with Rogers cutting in and shooting or making assists it could be a difficult afternoon for the youngster.

Ruben Amorim will field a weakened team with Bryan Mbuemo, Amad and Noussair Mazraoui heading out for the Africa Cup of Nations. Mason Mount has returned to his best Chelsea form since moving to Old Trafford.

Bruno Fernandes will not be paired with Casemiro, Amorim’s favourite partner for his captain, because he picked up a fifth yellow card at Bournemouth and will sit out the match. The United manager has a straight choice between Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo. It all depends on who he trusts the most to deal with Watkins and Morgan.

Harry Maguire is still out injured but Benjamin Sesko played a part coming on as a sub against Bournemouth but he is not fully fit and starting from the bench again will likely be his contribution.

NEWCASTLE v CHELSEA

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe and his battered team, after the 1-0 defeat to Sunderland, take on a Chelsea side who are sitting fourth in the table. The Blues’ coach Enzo Maresca

will field a strong team with Cole Palmer back to fitness, Reece James surviving recent injury scares and Wesley Fofana slotting back into the defence after his time on the sidelines with the medical team.

Howe has problems with his backline as Tino Livramento sustained a knee injury in the midweek 2-1 Carabao Cup victory over Fulham and joins Dan Burn, Lewis Hall, Kieran Trippier and Emil Krafth on the sidelines ahead of a busy Christmas schedule.

Maresca fielded almost a second team in the midweek EFL Cup match against Cardiff so as not to risk players for this game. The only notable change from the Premier League match draw against Bournemouth last time out is Joao Pedro instead of the injured Liam Delap.

Both teams played midweek cup games but Newcastle have managed one more rest day, which they badly needed.

Eddie Howe will once again trust Nick Woltemade upfront despite his Christmas present to Sunderland of an own-headed goal last Sunday. Anthony Gordon is in full flow and playing some exceptional football and Howe is expecting him to take on a tough Malo Gusto, the Chelsea right wing back.

Gordon’s speed, dribbling ability and tendency to fly down the wing before cutting inside could provide both Woltemade and Anthony Elanga with opportunities. I am hearing that Elanga doesn’t want to tangle too much with the pocket dynamite, totally committed, Marc Cucurella, who has been one of Chelsea’s standout players this season.

Aaron Ramsdale will again be in goal for the injured Nick Pope and Chelsea know he is vulnerable to set pieces and penalty box crowding…he tends to get bullied and 6ft 6ins Woltemade will take advantage of that.

Both these teams can be great on their day but they can also go to sleep and both managers are in a position where they have to succeed. Probably, greater pressure is on Howe but it should be a tough-fought game and my Chelsea contacts suspect a draw might be on the cards.

TOTTENHAM v LIVERPOOL

Two teams that have had more than their fair share of troubles this season. Liverpool have almost said goodbye to their title chances, whereas Tottenham’s Thomas Frank is fighting to hold on to his job. The team is still trying to recover from the mauling by Nottingham Forest, who beat them 3-0.

All is not well with Spurs and they have been defeated by Chelsea, Fulham, Bournemouth and Arsenal and in all those matches their performances were poor. Thomas Frank said his calm face hid a “hurricane inside” him and there were displays of pure anger from the players, such as Djed Spence hurling his jacket to the ground after being subbed.

Before the match, Tottenham staff laid out on the seats free scarves for their fans but long before the end, all you could see were red seats as those same fans trudged out of the City Ground totally dejected.

Arne Slot seems to have come through a crisis, handing Brighton a 2-0 defeat and with Mo Salah back on the pitch. He won’t be in this match as he jets off to the African Cup of Nations and new signings Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz should be given another chance to make something of their Liverpool careers.

The ever-reliable Dominik Szoboslai, Liverpool’s player of the season so far, with Ryan Gravenberch and Joe Gomez behind him, could give plenty of trouble to R. Kolo Muani, Archie Gray and Djed Spence. Szoboslai has nursed an injury this week but was trying to work it off in training.