Villa stand-in goalkeeper Brad Guzan has insisted he is ready to be thrust into the firing line at Old Trafford.

Guzan is set to deputise for Brad Friedel against Manchester United in the crunch clash a week on Sunday, if Villa fail in their bid to have the veteran’s red card in Sunday’s 5-0 thrashing by Liverpool overturned.

It would be Guzan’s first Premier League start since joining the claret and blues last summer – and the United States international is desperate to avoid a repeat of the first taste of English top-flight action he gained at Anfield.

He sees no reason why Villa cannot get their Champions League assault back on track against a United team who have lost their last two games and will be without Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes, Nemanja Vidic and Dimitar Berbatov.

Guzan said: “You always have to be ready. You try to do your best and try to help the team be successful.

“United are a great team with great players, but I don’t think there is any reason why we cannot go there and find a way to get a result.

“We have shown a number of times throughout this year that we are capable of playing good teams and getting good results.

“A hundred per cent we know this season is far from over. We have to make sure we get our mentality right and, when we get back, we have to look to put together a 90-minute performance.

“All the games from here on in are big games with the race and points so close. There is no reason why we cannot start a little bit of a run against Manchester United.

“If we can do that we should be able to get something from the game.”