BILLY BUNTER

Weblog: The football punter

Villa won't be winning anything with kids

BOGEY teams. Some punters love them, others loathe them but you can’t get away from the fact Aston Villa have not beaten Manchester United in the Premier League since August 1995 and my money will be on the Red Devils continuing that remarkable record when the teams meet again on Saturday.

That Villa win went down in the history books because of Alan Hansen’s jibe on Match of the Day that you can’t win anything with kids - a prediction so bad that it made even me look like a decent tipster. Or maybe not.

United were battered in that game 17 years ago with goals from Ian Taylor, Mark Draper and Dwight Yorke putting Villa three up inside 40 minutes before substitute David Beckham (whatever happened to him by the way?) pulled back a late consolation.

Of course, United have since gone on to win everything in sight and I have to make them favourites for the Premier League title. Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie can’t stop scoring with United scoring at least two goals in 14 of their last 15 matches.

Compare that to Villa, who have scored more than once just once in the Premier League this season. Striker Gabby Agbonlahor has scored one league goal in 2012 - Rooney and van Persie have 37 between them and ultimately that’s the big difference.

That, and the fact I have barely heard of half the Villa team means United should be bankers here. Joe Bennett, Matt Lowton, Ashley Westwood, Andreas Weimann, Enda Stevens, Eric Lichaj - who on earth are these people?

Somebody should tell Paul Lambert you’ll never win anything with kids.