Old Trafford on Sunday is more about who is missing than who is available. Manchester United go into Manchester United vs Aston Villa after the 3-2 win over AS Roma, but the selection picture is still unsettled. Aston Villa have their own issues, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Matteo Ruggeri both ruled out of the trip.
Villa's defensive absences
Wan-Bissaka has missed the last five matches in all competitions with a hamstring injury, and Unai Emery said the full-back is facing three to four weeks on the sidelines. His possible return date is November 21 against Sunderland. Ruggeri is also out, with a possible return date of November 28 against Ipswich Town.
Villa sit 10th in the Premier League, so this is not a crisis fixture for them. The bigger problem is losing two defenders at once before a visit to a United side that can still punish gaps when it gets the ball moving quickly.
United's team news after Roma
United's mood has improved since the Roma comeback, and Matheus Cunha was the standout in that win with an 8.39 rating. Bruno Fernandes also delivered a strong 7.29, which fits the broader sense that the attack has started to look a little more alive again.
Even so, there is no need to dress this up as a clean bill of health. Lisandro Martínez is serving a one-match suspension after the Chelsea red card, while Patrick Dorgu and Marcus Rashford remain doubts. United sit 17th in the Premier League, so one good night against Roma does not erase the bigger work still ahead.
The final twist is simple enough. Villa are missing Wan-Bissaka and Ruggeri, while United still have decisions to make around Martínez, Dorgu and Rashford before the teams meet on Sunday.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
