Talk On The Pitch v Man Utd?

I seriously wish our players would keep quiet about Manchester United. It isn't that I don't like and respect our players, I do, but we have often talked a far better game than we have played and that counts for our long running poor run against the Old Trafford boys.

I'd rather a total silence and for them all to do their talking on the pitch, especially following two poor no shows v Middlesbrough and Sunderland.

Still, who cares what I think!?! The official site has plenty of talk of the weekends game already,

Martin Laursen admits that we have struggled at Old Trafford but adds that we've done well 'against the big boys away from home' this season and adds that we also now have a quick forward line, 'We do have good, fast players going forward so as a team we can stay back a little more and then counter-attack them. We have also excelled at set-pieces too this season so that might be a way of causing them problems on Saturday.'

Defender Zat Knight says Villa will have to be on the case to get passed Rio Ferdinand. 'Rio is the best defender in the top flight. He can defend but he is also capable of bringing the ball out from defence. And the scary thing is he is getting better all the time. He's not yet in his prime. But we've got a great record against the top teams on the road this season and we must take heart from that as we head to Old Trafford.'

And Villa skipper Gareth Barry has waded in saying: 'What I find is the top teams have a good mix of age groups and that's certainly the case at Old Trafford, with the likes of Rooney and Giggs.' Adding, 'But we've got to be confident that we've got the talent in our side to stop him. Martin Laursen has been an absolute rock at the back this season. He's endured a lot of injuries during his short spell with Villa but he's now showing what a tremendous player he is. Zat has come in after Curtis's injury and done an solid job in the centre of defence with Martin and hopefully the pair will be on song on Saturday.'

I'm making the trip to Old Trafford for the first time this season, if we win I'll thank my lucky pants, if we lose I can blame the hoodoo and not my unlucky pants! ;o)

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