Buendía expecting difficult game against United

Emi Buendía is expecting a difficult match at Old Trafford on Sunday, when Aston Villa lock horns with Manchester United (ko 4.30pm).

Michael Carrick’s side are enduring a difficult run of form in the league, winning just one of their nine matches thus far.

Despite this, Buendía believes United’s qualities and threats are still clear to see, and feels Sunday’s hosts will be buoyed by a thrilling comeback victory at home to Roma in the UEFA Champions League in midweek.

“It’s another very difficult match,” the Argentine said.

“The last years, we didn’t win there in the league. My first season, I think we won there, so it’s a very difficult place to go.

“Obviously, a great team, great players. They’re not in their best moment, but their qualities are there.

“They are a top club. They had that momentum in the Champions League this week, having a comeback in a difficult match against Roma.

“They will try to get this momentum to get a victory in the Premier League, so we have to go there and try to be strong and try to fight with our style, with our football, to try to win away.”

After a tricky start to the campaign from Villa’s point of view, Buendía has been enthused by his side’s upturn in league form of late.

The Villans are unbeaten in their last five Premier League outings – taking 11 points from a possible 15 – but the attacking midfielder believes the best is still to come from Unai Emery’s men.

The 29-year-old added: “We didn’t have a great start. We didn’t get good results in the beginning.

“Then, just before the last [international] break, we started to get good results – I think a good feeling also as a team.

“Recently, we were playing better, we kept getting good results. We were back to winning – an amazing match at home against Man City, what we needed.

“But we’re still finding our best rhythm, I think, our best football. We are working on it every week, but this league is so difficult, so now you can beat any team, and you can be defeated by any team.

“We have to prepare every match 100%, and we are really looking forward [to] this weekend.”