Aston Villa

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery speaking to Sky Sports: "Good evening. Today is Ollie Watkins' day. We are trying to get our performances quality and try to find consistency. We are playing a lot of matches and we are more or less being consistent. We are feeling strong and respecting the opponent. They are playing well and demanding a lot without the ball. They are two points below us.

"We are all opponents and still being a contender for the top seven positiosn. Nottingham [Forest] are performing very well and higher than us. Now we are focusing on this match only, the three points."

Brighton's goalless draw with Brentford on Boxing Day stretched their winless run to six games as the Seagulls slipped to 10th in the table.

They have finished in the top 11 in the past three seasons and there were some boos from sections of the home fans.

Can they end 2024 on a high?

Image source, Getty Images

Chris Sutton
BBC Sport football predictions expert

Both of these teams have been quite patchy in recent weeks, which makes them really hard to predict.

Brighton have gone six games without a win and, although they have only lost two of those, they seem to have lost a bit of the spark they had at the start of the season.

That makes me favour Villa more here, especially because they are at home - five of their six league defeats this season have come on the road.

Jhon Duran's suspension is a blow for Unai Emery's side but, unlike a lot of people, I actually think his red card against Newcastle was the right decision.

It is a real sickener for Emery, though. I know he was able to rotate Duran and Ollie Watkins up front, but recently Duran had been starting and scored in four straight games. He seemed to have that jersey nailed down, but when he comes back from his three-game ban, he will have to start again.

In the meantime it is down to Watkins to get Villa some goals. I am backing him to score here and to help them get the three points.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Another year is almost over.

It feels like a good time to reflect on some of your best football moments of 2024.

It could be your team winning a trophy, winning a derby match or scoring a brilliant goal. Or it could be something as simple as watching your kid play on a Saturday or maybe you scored your own worldie goal for your Sunday League team.

Get in touch in all the usual ways and let us know!

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Chelsea have a host of potential exits to come in January, including the likes of Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka and Cesare Casadei.

Manager Enzo Maresca has admitted that both Chilwell and Chukwuemeka are free to leave on permanent deals.

However, the Blues are demanding Chukwuemeka's full £40million release clause for his January exit - or could look to send him out on loan instead.

Casadei, 21, is a different case with Chelsea not actively seeking to sell the Italian midfielder, with a loan move looking more likely. Feyenoord and Monza are both interested in signing the Italy Under-21s international.

Meanwhile, Harvey Vale is set to leave the club on a permanent deal with less than six months left on his current contract.

The 21-year-old attackers has interest from clubs in Europe and the Championship.

He rejected a move to Al-Ettifaq last summer and is getting renewed interest after outstanding displays in Chelsea's Under-21s, leading to 18 goal contributions (nine goals and nine assists) in 15 games.

Those performances led to two surprise appearances under Enzo Maresca in the Conference League, albeit with qualification to the knockout stages already secured.

However, after loan spells at Hull and Bristol Rovers, Vale is considered to be playing at a level below where he should be.

Any deal will only likely command a nominal fee, with a sell-on clause likely to be included to cash in at a later date.

Alex Matos could also leave on a permanent deal, while Chelsea are currently not actively pushing to loan or sell further first team players, including teen stars Omari Kellyman and Marc Guiu at the early stages of the January window.

Stephen Warnock
Former Premier League defender on Football Focus

Image source, Getty Images

Cole Palmer always looks so relaxed. Every time he steps on the field he looks like he is playing football with his mates, and that is the bigest compliment you can give. So often players play with that pressure and expectation but he just plays in complete comfort.

He doesn't ovethink things. In his interviews he doesn’t really engage too much, he doesn't want that side of it, he just wants to play. What a talent he is.

Chris Sutton
BBC Sport football predictions expert

Chelsea have had a couple of disappointing results over Christmas, firstly failing to score against Everton and then losing late on against Fulham.

Maybe Blues boss Enzo Maresca was right when he said his side were not title contenders. I still think that was more kidology than him ruling his side out of the race but, either way, it must be painful to drop points like that after winning their previous eight games in all competitions.

I am backing them to bounce back here, though, because they should have too much quality for Ipswich.

Fair play to the Tractor Boys, as much as I love giving them a kicking at times, they ran Arsenal close on Friday.

That was typical of Kieran McKenna's side this season. They have given it a real go in the Premier League and they never seem to lie down, whoever they play.

While I am going for a Chelsea win, the one thing at the back of my mind here is that Ipswich's determination and will to hang on in there in games has already brought them some reward in away games.

Eventually it is going to bring them a first home win of the campaign too.

Sutton's prediction: 0-2

Ruben Amorim makes four changes to the Manchester United squad which lost against Wolves last time out.

Midfielders Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte are suspended so Casemiro and Christian Eriksen come in to replace them.

Rashford has been left out of Manchester United's last four squads but returns today.

Matthijs de Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee also come into the side.

Man Utd XI: Onana, De Ligt, Maguire, Martinez, Mazraoui, Eriksen, Casemiro, Dalot, Diallo, Zirkzee, Hojlund.

Subs: Bayindir, Rashford, Malacia, Yoro, Garnacho, Antony, Mainoo, Collyer, Kukonki.

Eddie Howe sticks with the Newcastle side who beat Aston Villa on Boxing Day.

Newcastle XI: Dubravka, Trippier, Schar, Burn, Hall, Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton, Murphy, Isak, Gordon.

Subs: Vlachodimos, Barnes, Osula, Livramento, Almiron, Kelly, Willock, Longstaff, Miley.

Manchester United fan Joe Smith, Stretford Paddock Youtube Channel:

"I would like to see Marcus Rashford playing well, scoring and enjoying playing football for Manchester United but I don't think that's an option anymore.

"There is a sadness to that, especially with our history of academy players being at the forefront of our success, it is a shame to see a player with great potential almost kind of fizzle away."

Image source, Getty Images

Well the breaking team news is that Marcus Rashford is on the Manchester United bench this evening.

We'll bring you the full team soon.

Gary Neville
Former Manchester United defender on Sky Sports

The changes that are being made from game to game [by Ruben Amorim] is what Erik ten Hag used to do, even in game the changes are too much .

I thought the starting eleven against Nottingham Forest was one he was going to stick with, but then there were two individual errors at the start of the second half and he almost threw the baby out with the bathwater, bringing off three of his back four plus Bruno Fernandes.

Is it time now for stability? The players have not picked up his idea but how can they pick it up if there is not that consistency and familiarity?

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter at Old Trafford

Marcus Rashford's return to Ruben Amorim's squad is not a major surprise given Manchester United's absentees at Old Trafford.

However, given his four-match absence from any matchday involvement, it would be a pretty big shock if Rashford started.

And here's how things stand in the bottom half of the table.

Manchester United could move into the top 10 if they can beat Newcastle at Old Trafford while Ipswich will be desperate for some much-needed points to get boost their chances of getting out of the relegation zone.

Image source, BBC Sport

Here's how things are looking at the top of the Premier League table as we head into the final matches of 2024.

Liverpool will head into the New Year at the top of the pile regardless of what happens tonight after they beat West Ham last night.

Chelsea could move up to second with victory over Ipswich while Newcastle could move up to fifth if they beat Manchester United.

And Aston Villa would also boost up to sixth if they beat Brighton.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Marcus Rashford has been shown arriving at Old Trafford and heading towards the changing rooms by MUTV ahead of Manchester United's game against Newcastle this evening.

MUTV were doing a live broadcast around the players' arrivals for the game.

Rashford has been left out Ruben Amorim's squad for United's last four games.

However, with skipper Bruno Fernandes and midfielder Manuel Ugarte both suspended, there was always a chance the 27-year-old would be in United's matchday squad for the Newcastle game.

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Club captain Sam Morsy is back from suspension to start for Ipswich as Kieran McKenna makes four changes after the defeat at Arsenal.

Chelsea, meanwhile, make five changes as Christopher Nkunku, Noni Madueke, Joao Felix, Axel Disasi and Filip Jorgensen all start.

Reece James makes his first match day squad since 10 November.

Ipswich XI: Walton, Burns, O'Shea, Woolfenden, Greaves, Davis, Morsy, Cajuste, Hutchinson, Broadhead, Delap

Subs: Muric, Johnson, Townsend, Phillips, Taylor, Chaplin, Szmodics, J Clarke, Al-Hamadi

Chelsea XI: Jorgensen, Disasi, Tosin, Colwill, Cucurella, Caicedo, Fernandez, Madueke, Palmer, Felix, Nkunku

Subs: Sanchez, Acheampong, Gusto, James, Veiga, Neto, Sancho, Guiu, Jackson

Aston Villa make three changes to the side that were thumped 3-0 by Newcastle last time out. Jhon Duran and Matty Cash are both suspended so in come Ollie Watkins and Diego Carlos.

Leon Bailey replaces Amadou Onana who drops to the bench.

Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans; Bailey, McGinn, Rogers; Watkins.

Subs: Olsen, Mings, Barkley, Buendia, Philogene, Nedeljkovic, Maatsen, Onana, Ramsey.

As for Brighton, they make four changes to the team that drew 0-0 with Brentford. In come Tariq Lamptey, Igor Julio, Simon Adingra and Yasin Ayari.

Joel Veltman, Matt O'Riley and Kaoru Mitoma are benched. Pervis Estupinan is not in the squad.

Solly March, who came on as a late substitute against Brentford having been out since October 2023, makes the bench.

Brighton XI: Verbruggen; Lamptey, Van Hecke, Dunk, Igor; Ayari, Baleba; Gruda, Enciso, Adingra; Pedro.

Subs: Steele, March, Rutter, Moder, Minteh, Mitoma, O'Riley, Veltman, McConville.

Let's get straight into it with some team news...

We've got three Premier League matches to round off 2024 and here they are...

• Aston Villa v Brighton (19:45)
• Ipswich Town v Chelsea (19:45)
• Man Utd v Newcastle (20:00)

The final matches of 2024 are upon us.

A time for reflection...

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For setting new goals...

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And sometimes for celebration...

Image source, Getty Images

For one last time in 2024, let's do this...