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A blow for Aston Villa with the news that influential midfielder John McGinn suffered a fractured ankle in Saturday's 3-1 home defeat by Southampton and could be out for up to three months.

The 25-year-old was hurt seven minutes into the Premier League game and had to be helped to the dressing room.

After the match, Villa manager Dean Smith said the Scotland international's injury "didn't look good".

Ashley: Player of the year: Trent Alexander-Arnold

Manager of the year: Pep Guardiola

Team of the year: Man City

Underachiever of the year: Arsenal

Best signing of the year: Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Meltdown of the year: Marcelo Bielsa at his own players

Funniest moment of the year: Mourinho losing at Old Trafford with Spurs

Gerard Deulofeu has not tried to sugarcoat Watford's precarious position in the Premier League but he is determined to help kick start an improvement in results.

“We are in a really bad situation and we have to change it," he said. "But what I have to say is it’s not about how we started the season, it’s about how we finish it.

“We have time to change and for me to improve my individual statistics and help the team.”

In his pre-match news conference on Friday, Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer denied he is meeting Erling Haaland and says the Red Bull Salzburg striker is on his Christmas holiday.

Prem: Meltdown of the year: Xhaka’s moment of madness.

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This is the first time that Paul Pogba has been named in a Manchester United matchday squad since since 30 September, when the Red Devils drew 1-1 against Arsenal.

Watford boss Nigel Pearson has named the same starting XI that performed well against Liverpool in the Hornets' last game.

Watford XI: Foster, Mariappa, Kabasele, Cathcart, Femenia, Hughes, Capoue, Sarr, Doucoure, Deulofeu, Deeney

Subs:Gomes, Dawson, Masina, Chalobah, Gray, Success, Pereyra

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Manchester United are also unchanged from the side that drew 1-1 with Everton in their last Premier League game, although Paul Pogba is on the bench.

Man Utd XI: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, Fred, McTominay, James, Lingard, Rashford, Martial

Subs:Romero, Young, Matic, Pogba, Mata, Pereira, Greenwood

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Leaks: Underachiever of the year has to be Mesut Ozil.

Mark Lawrenson
Ex-Liverpool defender

I was at Anfield last week and Watford really impressed me in Nigel Pearson's first game in charge. They created a lot of chances - proper chances too.

The Hornets had Ismaila Sarr on the right and Gerard Deulofeu on the left, and they caused the Reds no end of problems. Troy Deeney was a handful up front, and in midfield and defence they were extremely competitive.

Basically, they looked like the Watford of last season, which is why I am backing them to get only their second league win of the season when United go to Vicarage Road.

That might surprise a few people but I just think that, with United, we cannot really be sure they are back in the groove. They still have something to prove in games like this.

Lawro's prediction: 2-1

Liverpool were already European champions and now they are world champions after Jurgen Klopp's side beat Flamengo in yesterday's Club World Cup final.

If you haven't seen any of the action, then check out the highlights above.

As well as Christmas, the end of 2019 is approaching so with that in mind we're keen to hear your thoughts on some alternative end-of-year awards.

Tell us your:

Player of the year

Manager of the year

Team of the year

Underachiever of the year

Best signing of the year

Meltdown of the year

Funniest moment of the year

BBC Radio 5 live's coverage of today's action is under way now. Tune in.

Watford's game against Manchester United kicks off the day's Premier League action where a win for the visitors would move them back into the top six.

After that, Tottenham host Chelsea at 16:30 GMT which could see either Spurs leapfrog their opponents into fourth or the Blues consolidate their position in the top four.

Mark Scott
Match of the Day commentator

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While the stats about Watford's current points total make grim reading for the Hornets, Nigel Pearson will go into his first home game at the helm encouraged by a lot of what he saw at Anfield last weekend, with the only real negative their wastefulness in front of goal.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer celebrated his first anniversary in charge of Manchester United on Thursday and reckons they're "on the right track" despite having one point fewer than at the same stage last season, when Jose Mourinho was sacked.

Solskjaer's first game as permanent manager came against Watford in March, when United continued their impressive winning record in the fixture.

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... unless you are a Watford fan.

The Hornets are stepping into Christmas in a worrying position in the Premier League. They are nine points adrift from safety with just nine points from 17 games.

No team with that points tally at this stage of the season has gone on to avoid the drop but with Nigel Pearson in charge they have a man who knows how to mastermind an unlikely survival bid.

Could today be the start of their great escape?