We weren't at our usual level but still had our moments. With City drawing nothing's changed, we're still neck and neck. Tomorrow is Arsenal-Liverpool, and there's not a bad outcome for us there. Win, win, win, even if the most important win didn't happen

With Rooney ruling himself out with a pulled-down baseball cap, a pork pie and a can of Stella, United are reportedly looking elsewhere for their saviour, but seriously, would you want any of them even taking care of your wheelie bin? Darren Fletcher, Michael Carrick and Ole Gunnar Solskjær…. Anfield had the Boot Room; Christ knows what you’d call United’s equivalent. Suffice to say, Rooney, tired and emotional in his camping chair, would do a better job than those three.

Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will be assessed over the next 24 hours to see if they are ready to return, having missed 13 and 6 games, respectively.

A complete waste of six months in a career that has already been interrupted far too often, nine games, pretty much every one a defeat, no goals, no assists, in fact nothing to show for it but a nasty injury that's put Barry's development on time-lapse again.

Palace are 15 points behind Villa, 14th in the table, and are on a three-game losing run having not won at Selhurst in the League since 1st November and having not won a League game at all since 7th December.

Sil Swinkels has swapped Exeter City for Chesterfield after being recalled early from his season-long loan in Devon.

Aidan Borland has signed on loan with League Two side Swindon Town for the remainder of the 2025-26 season, joining fellow Academy star Finley Munroe, who has already proved a key component of Swindon's Season.

SJM scores a second half brace after his miss of the decade last time out. Villa make it 18 wins in 21 games, move second in the table with 18 games left to play.

Villa have confirmed the much-anticipated signing of 19-year-old Brazilian winger Alysson or Alysson Edward Franco da Rocha to give him his full name.

Forest are twenty-one points behind Villa after nineteen games and are on a three-game losing run coming into this game. Three points for the visitors then.

Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara return from suspension, but Amadou Onana is doubtful after being Merino'd on Tuesday.

Rumours abound that Leon Bailey's loan move to AS Roma will be cut short after one assist in ten appearances, nine as substitute in an injury hit spell in Serie A for the Jamaican winger.

Villa lose for the first time in twelve but prove their class off the pitch as George Hemmings makes his debut on it.

Comparing Aston Villa's 1914 11-match winning run under George Ramsay with 2025's 11-match winning run under Unai Emery.

Villa could move level on points with leaders Arsenal at the top of the table, or could move six points behind Villa could create a club record 12th consecutive win, or Villa could lose for the first time in twelve

Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara are ruled out due to suspension. Tyrone Mings, Ross Barkley and Pau Torres remain sidelined. Mings will miss his 12th consecutive game, and Pau Torres his fifth, as both are not expected to return until the New Year. Barkley is likely out until February. Harvey Elliott probably won't make the squad.

Ewan Simpson 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 27 Dec: makes his first Scottish League One start for Hamilton Academical since August 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 in their 1-4 defeat to Queen of the South 🕒 6 | ✅ 4 | 🔁 2 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺 0 |

Villa win eleven consecutive games for the first time since the 1913-14 season under George Ramsay 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Jadon Sancho will return after his loan terms prevented him from facing his parent club last time out. Harvey Elliott has recovered from his sickness, but it's doubtful he'll make the squad. Tyrone Mings, Ross Barkley and Pau Torres remain sidelined. Mings will miss his 11th consecutive game, and Pau Torres his third, as both are not expected to return until the New Year. Barkley is likely out until February.

Match: #5807 Season: 2025-26 Matchday: #25 League Game: #18 Manager Game: #165 Date: Saturday, 27 December 2025 Manager: Unai Emery | 🇪🇸 | Hondarribia, 2022- Referee: Stuart Attwell | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | Nuneaton, 2009- Kick off: 5.30pm