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2021/22 English Premier League
Matchday 22
Aston Villa v Manchester United
Villa Park
Birmingham, England
Saturday, 15 January 2022
Kick-off is at 17h30
Manchester United will target a return to winning ways when they travel to Villa Park for a
Premier League clash against Aston Villa on January 15.
Ralf Rangnick suffered his first defeat as interim manager when United went down 1-0 to Wolves at Old Trafford on January 3, having started his tenure with three wins and a draw.
There are rumours of discontent in the camp as the players try to come to terms with Rangnick's methods and his task has been made that much harder by COVID-19 disrupting the club's preparations.
The Red Devils have dropped to seventh in the standings, four points adrift of the Champions League places and a staggering 22 off top spot.
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Rangnick admits his team was flat against Wolves and wants to see more energy from them in the West Midlands.
"We need a different energetic level compared to the game against Wolves. We are fully aware of that, that we have to try and put pressure on them, don't allow them to play their technical football," the German told United media.
"I mean, things have changed since Steven Gerrard arrived at Aston Villa, the style of play that they prefer since he has arrived is different.
"They have a lot of technical players in the centre of midfield, they are a little bit focused on the centre of the pitch and we have to be aware of that and making the right decisions in order to be able to be successful."
Steven Gerrard has made a promising start to his reign at Villa Park, recording four victories and four losses, three of the latter coming against the top-three in the league.
The 13th-placed Villains are looking to bounce back from two successive defeats, the most recent of which was at Brentford (2-1) on January 2.
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Gerrard acknowledges his side is still a work in progress, but insists his focus remains on the immediate task at hand and taking it on a game-by-game basis.
"It's very much about us. Eight weeks into the job, it's important that we give all our focus and our attention to ourselves in our preparation," the Liverpool legend told the media.
"We're still trying to make Aston Villa the best we can be, we're still trying to improve our identity and our philosophy here."
Head-to-Head (Last Five Premier League Meetings)
Matches - 5
Aston Villa - 1
Man United - 3
Draws - 1
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