Carling Cup Final: Aston Villa V Manchester United

Carling Cup Final

 

 

Aston Villa V Manchester United

 

 

Sunday, 28^th February – 15:00 GMT(LIVE on BBC1)

 

Introduction

 

This isn’t a competition most clubs in England stick at the very top of their list of priorities for the season, more right at the very bottom in fact. However, it is still a momentous occasion, especially for Aston Villa, whom will be making their first appearance in a domestic cup final for the first time in nearly a decade, with their previous final appearance being a losing one in the 1999-2000 FA Cup final back at the old Wembley. However, you have to cast your minds back ever further for Villa’s last taste of cup success, back in 1996 when Aston Villa won this very competition beating Leeds United 3-0 in the final. Their opponents, however, Manchester United, need only stretch back a single year for their last piece of silverware, that being the Carling Cup as well as they beat Tottenham Hotspur via a penalty shoot-out last season.

  

The one defining factor every finalist needs is passion, and perhaps experience could be thrown into the equation as well, and while United certainly have bags of the latter, we feel Villa will have far more passion seeing as finals don’t crop all too often for them, very rarely in fact, so you’d have to feel they’ll have more hunger in their souls than their ready-made final opponents, Manchester United. Don’t be fooled into thinking United won’t be fired up to win on Sunday though, as the Mighty Red Devils rarely turn up to a final without that burning desire to complete a memorable cup run with a final victory.

  

Injuries to big stars in the United camp has levelled the playing field somewhat as Villa, despite picking up four points from their two meetings with Manchester United in the league this season, do have the weaker squad of the two. However, this Aston Villa side have shown on more than one occasion this season that they can be the real deal and that on their day they have the ability to beat anyone, regardless of their more glamour reputation. The problem is, however, very few in that Aston Villa squad have previous final experiences, which is crucial in a Wembley environment which can be a graveyard for young souls. It’s also a venue where stars are born, and with Villa boasting some of the country’s brightest talents, perhaps this is the scene of a beautiful Martin O’Neill masterpiece and the setting for a big future for some of Villa’s young hopefuls.

  

For Manchester United, this will just be one of many titles to brace the United trophy cabinet. That doesn’t mean they don’t give a care in the world about winning Sunday’s finale, as that’s far from the truth. In fact, they will be the favourites to snatch the Carling Cup crown from under Aston Villa’s noses as their team packs plenty of experience, maturity, quality and class. They also possess a starlet in the form of his life in Wayne Rooney. The England forwards displays this season has seen him rise through the ranks and join the likes of Ronaldo & Messi as some of the worlds greatest players. He’s in the form of his life at present and was the figurehead behind United’s two-legged victory over arch rivals Manchester City in the previous round. Can he steal the show on Sunday, stamp his mark on the sport from a worldwide perspective, or will he falter in United’s biggest game thus far and hand the initiative to one of Villa’s many rising stars? So many questions, all of which being asked by fans, pundits and punters alike, but the only way to find the answers is to watch Sunday’s final LIVE on the BBC from 02:00 GMT.

 

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Aston Villa

 

Recommended Bet: To Score Two or More – 3.75 PaddyPower

 

Aston Villa football club has such a bright future but it’s all about fulfilling their potential and not crumbling in pressure-cooker moments. Last season, Villa were pushing for a top four finish after a strong run of form in the middle part of the season but fell apart in the latter stages of the season to finish well off Arsenal who eventually snapped up fourth place. Villa shown last season that they didn’t have the maturity nor the experience to keep their cool in their crucial games, but, nearly a year on, can Villa keep their composure in what is their first major final for almost fifteen years?

  

While finishing in fourth spot is their main prerogative this season, victory in the Carling Cup will certainly be up there now they’ve gotten this far. However, this is one of three objectives Villa are going all out to achieve and you would be forgiven for thinking Villa will become overwhelmed, exhausted and possibly distracted as their minds are concentrating on so many competitions and big fixtures. In Martin O’Neill, though, you have a focused man, a manager who knows how to get the very best out of this crop of potential stars and we have no doubt he will have this Aston Villa side fired up for this huge final encounter as O’Neill and the rest of the Villa squad aim to give their fans their first loyalty deposit bonus for their support down the years. 

 

Just like their final opponents, Manchester United, Aston Villa preparations ahead of the Wembley show-piece on Sunday have gone to plan and were boosted significantly with progression in the FA Cup. Villa were held to a 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace but finished the job at home with a 3-1 win. Those in Claret & Blue that are travelling to Wembley on Sunday will be hoping their goalscoring antics on Wednesday was a taster of things to come as they, as well as everyone else, know Villa need to score a few if they want to put United to the sword and lift the Carling Cup at somewhere around tea-time.  

 

Goals really should be a given though, considering the vast amounts of attacking quality Martin O’Neill has at his disposal, of which every single one of his star-studded forwards are playing sensational right now. James Milner & Ashley Young will look to make marauding runs down the flanks, with the aim being to supply their bulky forwards with some decent aerial balls. John Carew, whom scored twice in the FA Cup replay in midweek, Emile Heskey & Gabriel Agbonlahor, will all pose an understrength United defence all sorts of problems with their aerial prowess, strength and pace. The latter, Agbonlahor, will scare the United defence the most, not only because of his blistering pace and slick finishing but also because it was him who scored Villa’s winner in the 1-0 victory at Old Trafford earlier in the season.

  

Aston Villa fans, whom won’t be used to trips to Wembey, will be hoping Agbonlahor will be their saviour once again and a nightmare for Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United, although, we’re pretty sure they don’t care who scores on Sunday just as long as it’s the match winner.

 

 

 

Manchester United

 

Recommended Bet: Wayne Rooney to Score within 90 minutes – 2.40 PaddyPower

 

The Carling Cup, or the League Cup as it sometimes referred to, is about the only trophy Manchester United haven’t won as many times as any other English team. Their tally of just three League Cup wins puts them behind the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and even Nottingham Forest, which just goes to show how insignificant the Carling Cup has been to United in recent years. However, their bright youngsters got them through some sticky openers, whilst the professionals, or their idols if you like, finished the job by ensuring the club booked their rightful place at Wembley for this Carling Cup final showdown with Aston Villa after coming through a two-legged Semi-Final cracker with Manchester City.

  

Manchester United, arguably the most glamorous team in England, will be gunning for yet more silverware, what could be one of many this season as they seek out their first ever back-to-back Carling Cup success. Sir Alex Ferguson, whom has lifted the trophy twice as the United manager, guided United to their second Carling Cup title in four seasons when beating Tottenham Hotspur in an enticing encounter at Wembley last season. Their opponents this year, Aston Villa, aren’t a whole lot dissimilar to the Tottenham team they faced nearly a year to the day ago.

  

United’s preparations ahead of this final showdown have gone to plan, with Ferguson’s side wiping their two game run without a league win swiftly under the carpet with a routine 3-0 victory over West Ham in midweek. It was an important win as not only did it provide them with three huge points in their title chasing cause but it also gave the dressing room a much needed winning morale boost after two shabby performances in the league beforehand. When you head into a game of this magnitude, a match where so much is at stake, well, some silverware anyway, you need some positive momentum to spearhead you into such a fixture. You also need your players on top of their game, on top form and in tip-top shape, and while United might have the first two with Wayne Rooney bang inform right now, the latter is something they don’t have the luxury of with some of their key players, unfortunately.

  

Alex Ferguson will be without a few key individuals for Sunday’s final, none more so than club captain Ryan Giggs, whom despite playing an instrumental part in United getting this far won’t be available due to breaking his wrist, ironically in a league game with Aston Villa earlier in the month. John O’Shea is of course out for some time, whereas Owen Hargreaves is no nearer to a first-time appearance. However, the questions are building up around the fitness of Rio Ferdinand, whom hasn’t featured a whole lot for United this season and was ruled out of the final through a recurrence of the back problem he’s been suffering all season. While Nemajna Vidic will look to be United’s rock on Sunday, the void left by Rio could be huge what with Villa possessing some very tricky forward customers. Jonny Evans will be Ferguson’s preferred centre back partner for Vidic but Evans has been found wanting on far too many occasions for United, especially in the big games, so naturally there will be doubts over not only his own respective performance but that of the Manchester United defence as a whole.

 

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Our Prediction: Aston Villa to WIN – 4.80 VCbet

 

How Manchester United are that short in price (1.87 totesport) is beyond me as Villa have been a constant thorn in United’s side this season, with the Reds’ failing in their bids to beat Aston Villa twice already this season, so why the odds on Villa completing a hat-trick are so big is bewildering.

  

We suppose it’s down to United’s two impressive wins on the trot; the 3-2 win at the San Siro against AC Milan, of which Wayne Rooney scored twice, as well as the 3-0 win at home to West Ham United on Tuesday, and well, Wayne Rooney was once again seen scoring a brace. England’s biggest hope this summer has been in scintillating form for the Red Devils this season and is arguably the only reason why Man Utd are a touch of odds-on to win within 90 minutes on Sunday. After all, it was the man of the moment, Rooney, who scored United’s winner in the Semi-Final with Man City, so do the bookies think lightening will strike twice, only this time at Wembley on Sunday.

  

Whereas United are heavily relying on the performance of one man, Villa have a whole host of players who can not only bring their A-game to Sunday’s final but could also win this game single-handily with one swift kick of the ball. The amount of creativity Villa will have on show is staggering; with James Milner, Ashley Young and a bang-in-form Stewart Downing all looking to upset the odds by carving open the United defence with some mazy runs, slickly through balls and some whizzing shots on goal. Moreover, we haven’t even mentioned the strength of their forward line, with Agbonlahor, Heskey & Carew all vying for a place on the starting line-up on Sunday, although only two will start from the off as O’Neill looks to pack that Villa midfield with hard-working, creative players.

  

Nevertheless, Villa look by far and away the best shout here, although you can never discount Manchester United. Still, at the prices you would have to consider Aston Villa as immense value (4.80 VCbet) but this final does have the makings of a tight fixture so Extra-Time could beckon.

 

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Our Bet: Over 2.5 Goals – 2.00 Bet365

 

Finals often tend to be dull affairs because neither side wants to take any risks in case they concede a silly goal. However, we don’t expect either manager to leave a lot to the imagination, especially Martin O’Neill who will surely start with a very attacking minded side, filled to brim with creative midfielder and forward thinking players. Villa won’t hold back with their attempts on goal and an early strike from them would strike the touchpaper on what we feel will be a change in the wind as an entertaining final finally embraces our screens. Let’s not stop there though as Manchester United are more than capable of popping up with a few and are actually the favourites to land the first blow (To Score First 1.67 BetFred). Wayne Rooney is a man possessed right now, with his form sky-rocketing this season, with just about every defence failing to keep the Premiership’s leading goalscorer out. Villa have though, twice in fact, so perhaps Aston Villa are Rooney’s, and United’s for that matter, nemesis.

  

Goals for us, plenty of them if you would be so kind, in what should be a rip-roaring affair… Cue the 0-0 stalemate!

 

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Match Odds:

 

Manchester United – 1.87 totesport

Draw – 3.50 Bet365

Aston Villa – 4.80 VCbet