Dion Dublin says Aston Villa game will be just like the real thing

“The big thing is how both teams approach it,” explained Dublin. “It’s so close to the season, I would imagine they have to play close to the team they’re going to play on the first day of the new campaign.

“They need to see how everything works so it does make for a very interesting game. Obviously, there are no punters in the stadium, of course, but it should be a high-quality game, which is great for the players.

“They know what the speed of the game is and what quality they will be facing.

“When I played, Villa versus United was the biggest game of the season there. Whoever plays United, it’s their biggest game of the season, as players want to raise their game and stand out as an individual.”