Image source, Reuters

Or are set pieces United's best hope of scoring? They've had seven corners in the first 20 minutes. It's not the numbers that count though...

Even more remarkably (although perhaps not if you're a native of Manchester), it's suddenly started to sleet. Frozen rain, when just round the corner you've got brilliant sunshine? 

I'm hoping we're gonna see a bit more of that kind of quick movement. With Villa seemingly happy to sit deep today is not the day for ponderous play. Which let's be honest, has been a bit of a recurring theme at Old Trafford this season...

Here's Alan Hutton with a rare foray up beyond the halfway line - but the Villa right-back sees his cross kung-fu cleared by Daley Blind.

The first bit of zip we've seen so far. Valencia drives low from right-back into Mata, who slots Rooney into a bit of space, but Cissokho blocks his cut-back for a United corner...

Which is headed behind by Fellaini. They raised the pace there, the home side. 

Image source, AP

Ed Gutteridge: Van Gaal is (obviously) useless but you'd think that Martial and Fosu-Mensah are rested because it's Villa rather than dropped

Di B: Come on Villa - would be so funny if they won this afternoon!

Image source, Reuters

On the basis of this first 10 minutes, the emphasis really is all on Manchester United to give us a bit of entertainment this afternoon. 

They've had practically every touch of the ball so far. Villa have had two half-chances to break but both have been passed up - once turning back to safety and once Kieran Richardson wasting with a poor pass.

I have to admit to not having caught a whole lot of Manchester United at home this season, it's pretty quiet isn't it? 

Chris Smalling gets a rise out of the home fans when leaping up to Juan Mata's corner, just a flick which he can't direct. 

Marcos Rojo gets a better connect on Memphis Depay's free-kick though - but Brad Guzan is unruffled, watches it sail over his near stick.

Now, now chaps. Isn't Marcus Rashford going to win this single-handed anyway? 

The youngster's just a tad too keen in chasing a through ball and is offside, while Jordan Ayew booms way over from range in the game's first attempt on goal. So wayward. 

Image source, Reuters

Yullaw: No Martial? Memphis ahead of him!! You're clueless LVG.

Adebola: One look at that starting line-up and you just know that LVG is yesterday's man. I can do better!

Does playing with the knowledge you're practically down somehow help to relieve a bit of the pressure of playing here? We'll see. Aston Villa drop into banks of five after giving the ball away pretty much straight from kick-off. 

The home side are in no rush to do much with it just yet mind...

Villa get us under way.

Here they come then. Kick-off just a few minutes away. 

Already we've seen a fair few Aston Villa fans in good voice in that away section. Surely they can't prolong the inevitable with a win this afternoon? They've lost their last eight in a row...

Shane Daly: That's where Rooney should have been sitting for the last 2 years. He will supply Rashford very well.

Jerry Elumeze: Interesting to see whether Rooney being back will be a bonus or a drag for MUFC.

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal: "The players, also the manager and his staff, have been frustrated because we were not consistent this season.

"When you have to line up every week another team because of injuries, it is difficult to make a consistent team-building process.

"But still we are in the race for the first positions in the league and still we are in the FA Cup so I am very happy that we can do that."

Image source, PA

Aston Villa acting manager Eric Black: "I know people will say they are probably not the Man United of five years ago. But they are a top, top football team.

"They have a lot of good players and it's a huge, huge task for us on Saturday. But I have to be honest - watching our players out there in training - I am relishing it.

"Let's surprise a few people."

Image source, Rex Features

Mark Lawrenson
Former Liverpool defender

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United played well in their FA Cup quarter-final replay against West Ham and thoroughly deserved their win - it was another top goal by Marcus Rashford too.  

I can only see United following that up with a straightforward win on Saturday, on the basis that they are up against the poorest Aston Villa team I have seen for many a year.

Villa have could been down by the time they kicked off at Old Trafford, but they are going down anyway. 

They have now lost eight Premier League games in a row, although it feels more like 30.

Lawro's prediction: 3-0

Simon Brotherton
Match of the Day commentator

Image source, Reuters

Simon Brotherton: "This is a fixture Villa have traditionally struggled in over the years even when they have put a decent team on the field, never mind this year's awful lot.

"Manchester United have lost only one of the last 40 league meetings between the teams and that was by a single goal back in 2009.

"United were well beaten at Tottenham last Sunday but will be buoyed by their midweek FA Cup success at West Ham as they look to keep the pressure on fourth-placed Manchester City by winning this one convincingly."

The teams are already in.

Wayne Rooney returns to the Manchester United starting line-up for the first time since February as Louis van Gaal makes five changes to the side that beat West Ham in the FA Cup on Wednesday. 

Antonio Valencia, Morgan Schneiderlin, Juan Mata, Memphis Depay and Rooney come in for Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Jesse Lingard, Michael Carrick, Anthony Martial and the injured Ander Herrerra.

Man Utd XI: De Gea, Valencia, Smalling, Blind, Rojo, Schneiderlin, Fellaini, Mata, Rooney, Memphis, Rashford.

Image source, .

Aston Villa make one change from the side that lost 2-1 at home to Bournemouth last weekend, with Alan Hutton coming in for Jordan Lyden.

Aston Villa XI: Guzan, Hutton, Clark, Lescott, Cissokho, Richardson, Bacuna, Gueye, Westwood, Ayew, Sinclair.

Image source, .

One thing is for sure: Fail to win today and Aston Villa will be dropping down to the second tier for the first time since 1987. 

Sunderland, by the way, have just gone 3-0 up at Norwich - you can follow that over here.

So victory for Villa today would leave them with just the four consecutive wins required to stay up. They'd also need no other team down in the bottom four to move above 32 points - with Norwich currently on 31.

Oh, and did I mention they've lost eight games on the bounce?