Man United vs. Aston Villa: Michael Carrick bidding to join exclusive list when Red Devils host top-four rivals

Michael Carrick will be looking to join an exclusive list when Manchester United welcome Aston Villa to Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

The Red Devils are third in the Premier League table, level on points with fourth-placed Villa, demonstrating the importance of the clash in Manchester.

Carrick has won all five of his Premier League home games as Man United head coach, with one of those coming back in 2024 and four since becoming Ruben Amorim's replacement.

The Red Devils have overcome Manchester City, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace in their last four home fixtures in the Premier League.

Only three head coaches have managed to win their first six home Premier League home games - Sven-Goran Eriksson (nine in 2007), Carlo Ancelotti (seven in 2009) and Manuel Pellegrini (11 in 2023-14).

Man United host Villa in gigantic Premier League battle on Sunday afternoon

Man United will enter the match off the back of a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United, with Carrick suffering his first defeat at the helm.

"It's always about what's next, what you're going to react, whether you've won, whether or not you've drawn, what's going to be the reaction, what's the group, what are the emotions in it, how do we make the best of it, what is the motivation for the next game and driving that forward," Carrick told reporters during Friday's press conference.

"I understand with it being the first defeat, if you like, it feels a little bit different but it's going to come at some point. You look through the league, it's a tough league.

Man United will be bidding to bounce back from Newcastle loss in Villa contest

"Most teams if not every team has suffered that in recent times so it's putting things in perspective really and kind of putting it in shape where we know where we can improve, what we can do better, we're taking a lot of confidence from as a group what we can and what we show we can achieve and how we can play so it has been a really good week in many ways and excited, it's an important game, there's no getting away from it, it is there.

"There's an awful lot to play for, so I'm fully embracing the situation at the moment and looking forward to the next game."

Villa beat Man United 2-1 in the Premier League in December and are looking to complete a league double over the Red Devils for the first time since 1954-55.

However, Man United have lost just two of their last 37 home league games against Villa, recording 28 wins in the process.