"And this is the edge...." as Bono might say

FORGET all that stuff about United positively loving Villa Park.

Forget the fact that they haven't been beaten, apart from their kids in the League Cup nine years ago, since August 1995.

Forget the fact that Wayne Rooney somehow got away with being rested for England duty because they didn't play against Stoke City last weekend.

Forget the fact that United, missing a few stars, still steam-rollered Stoke City last Saturday.

Forget the fact that United are eight points behind not just the leaders but the runners-up and therefore desperately needing to win at Villa to keep in touch.

Yes, forget the stuff of defenders legs in claret and blue almost without exception turning to jelly when bamboozled by a Giggs, van Nistelrooy, Solskjaer or nowadays Ronaldo- oh come on, even the likes of Jesper Blomqvist used to turn grown men into babbling babies.

If you can forget all that (and I realise I am asking you to forget about as much as canooist John Darwin had when he reappered in the West End Central police station in Savile Row, Central London, years after making a new life for himself in Panama)...

Then you'll see that Villa, on the back of that masterful performance at Arsenal, have got a blummin' good chance tomorrow.

Indeed, in so far as the international break goes, they may well have the edge on Manchester United.

You see Stiliyan Petrov played only the first 65 minutes as Bulgaria were hammered by a Savo Milosevic-inspired Serbia.

Martin O'Neill also got his wish with John Carew completely rested from Norway's trip to the Ukraine.

Martin Laursen was likewise rested from Denmark's trip to face Wales. "A sore knee", as Morten Olsen put it. That was before Laursen played with the head of a veteran and legs of a 19-year-old at The Emirates.

With Curtis Davies remaining on the bench in Berlin it meant that apart from Petrov only the English trio of Gareth Barry, Gabby Agbonlahor and, albeit for just the last 13 minutes, Ashley Young, saw any international action of Villa's likely starters tomorrow.

It gets better. Bulgaria's demise in Belgrade also saw Dimitar Berbatov pull a hamstring.

But if Villa, already likely to be without Carlos Cuellar, were rejoicing in Berbatov's injury then they might think again as it merely opens the door for Carlos Tevez.

The Argentinian might have played 90 minutes against Scotland for Argentina on Wednesday and is likely to keep his place in attack alongside the recalled Rooney, who missed the 5-0 win over Stoke, but Tevez is positvely itching with a point to prove.

With his future in the melting pot he'll want to show Sir Alex Ferguson that he's still worth his salt.

It has been a frustrating few months for the striker who has started just five league games this season, scoring one goal against Liverpool back in September.

He also has just a little history with Villa.

Tevez played 90 minutes and scored the second goal in the 4-0 trouncing United dished out to Villa in March, and he played the first 73 minutes of the 4-1 league defeat they handed out at Old Trafford last October.

It gets better....

Rio Ferdinand is "unlikely" to return in defence because of a back injury, according to Sir Alex Ferguson today- (although such promises are rarely kept by managers keeping everyone on their toes).

There's also no Wes Brown, although Gary Neville or John O'Shea can step in at a moment's notice.

And there may be tired legs and battered egos elsewhere for United.

Ronaldo, Nani and Anderson were only due to report back today after Portugal lost 6-2 in Brazil.

Ji-sung Park captained South Korea against Saudi Arabia in midweek, that's quite a trek, whilst Patrice Evra played a full 90 minutes as France drew 0-0 at home to Uruguay.

And Michael Carrick, you never know, could have blisters from all that work for England in Germany.

My point is this: yes, it will be tough, damn tough. United, like Chelsea just a few weeks ago, will be fired up because they'll want to put some pretenders to the top four establishment firmly in their place.

But Villa were terrific last week. Gabby and GB were terrific in Berlin.

A little belief from players and supporters could go some way to ending one of life's puzzles- 13 years of misery.