LONDON (SE) - Manchester United are near a record 20th league title and should results go their way over the weekend, they could be crowned Premier League champions on Monday.
If second-placed Manchester City lose at Tottenham on Sunday, the Red Devils would take the title with a victory against relegation-threatened Aston Villa at Old Trafford the following day.
United (26-3-4) have a 13-point lead over crosstown rivals City and would have wrapped up the championship earlier but for a surprising dip in form in recent weeks. They were knocked out of the FA Cup when they lost 1-0 at Chelsea on Apr. 1, and were then beaten 2-1 at home in the league by archrivals City seven days later. A hard-earned 2-0 win at Stoke last Sunday and a 2-2 draw at West Ham in midweek have seen United pick up just four points from their last three league outings.
England winger Ashley Young has been ruled out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury, but United have no new reported injury concerns after a bruising encounter against West Ham.
"We've got a few bumps and bruises from Wednesday," Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson on Friday. "The team were fantastic the other night in terms of standing up (to West Ham). It's the type of game you get with Big Sam (Allardyce)'s teams. We had to deal with it and I think a point was well deserved.
"When you get nearer to that line that's the way it is. I have the same squad for Monday and hopefully we'll pick the right team."
Aston Villa (8-10-15) are 17th in the standings but have seen a recent upturn in their results. Paul Lambert's side have lost just one of their last five fixtures, winning three and drawing one, They have moved out of the bottom three and are currently three points above the relegation zone.
Christian Benteke has been one of the few successes of Villa's mainly troubled season. Lambert signed the 22-year-old striker from Genk for £7 million last summer, and the Belgium international has been outstanding for the Midlanders - scoring 19 goals in all competitions.
Benteke's superb start to his Premier League career was recognised when he was nominated earlier this week for the Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year award. Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck was also shortlisted for the same prize.
Welbeck's United teammates Robin van Persie and Michael Carrick were nominated for the senior PFA Player of the Year award.
Villa boss Lambert was quick to praise Benteke and also reluctant to claim credit for the young forward's rapid development.
"The game's never about myself it's about the lads and the ones that come and do it," said Lambert. "Once we've got them in the door the rest is up to them. They're the ones that go and do it week in week out so.
"Whatever happens to Christian or wherever his career goes - and it's the same with any player - you just hope that when I'm about 65 and I want a ticket for a game, that they don't forget. That's the only thing I'll ask him - just get me a ticket to a game."
Villa forward Gabby Agbonlahor has resumed training after recovering from a groin injury, but defender Richard Dunne has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a groin problem.
The Red Devils rallied from two goals down to beat Aston Villa 3-2 at Villa Park in November. Andreas Weimann scored either side of half-time to give the Villans a two-goal advantage, before an own goal from Ron Vlaar and a brace from substitute Javier Hernandez secured all three points for United.
Villa have won just one of the last 32 meetings between the sides - a 1-0 shock at Old Trafford in December 2009 - a run that dates back to October 1999.
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