Paul McGrath: Where my loyalties lie between Manchester United and Aston Villa

It's a question I don't have a definitive answer to, if I'm being honest, and that's why my loyalties will be divided when the United welcome Villa to Old Trafford on Sunday.

You could say I learned about the football business at United and went on to play my best stuff in a Villa shirt, after a few people had written me off.

The way I left United - with a few at the club suggesting I was finished at the top - ensured I was highly motivated to prove them wrong at Villa.

And it’s fair to say I did just that, as I was PFA Player of the Year in the opening season of the Premier League era and I loved my time at Villa Park.

I'll start by reflecting on my time at United and as a young kid going into that massive club, it was an incredible experience.

When you walk into Old Trafford for the first time, it is an awe inspiring place.

It feels different to other stadiums and the idea that I could go out on that pitch and wear the famous United jersey took some getting used to.

You realise where you are when you see legends like Bobby Charlton, Denis Law and Nobby Stiles around the training ground.

Bobby was great to me during my time at United, giving me bits of advice at times when I was struggling and when someone like that speaks to you, it can only help.

The FA Cup win in 1985 was a highlight and the friends I made at United are still friends to this day, like my great pal Norman Whiteside.

So I will always have fond memories of my time playing for such a great club.

The move to Villa came at an interesting time for me as I was struggling with injuries and needed a club that would help me to manage that and in Graham Taylor, I had a manager who was amazing for me.

He gave me everything I needed to perform at Villa and the results were there for all to see.

It was a period when I was at my very best and found a new home at a club where the fans were so kind to me.

Winning the PFA Player of the Year award in 1993 was surreal and it was certainly the proudest moment of my career.

When your fellow professionals vote for you to win an award like that, it’s so special and it was unusual for a defender to get the nomination.

Now I am enjoying the Villa revival revival inspired by Unai Emery and it will be fascinating to see if they can continue through to the end of the season.

On current form, you'd have to say Villa have a great chance of getting a result at Old Trafford as they have shown incredible levels of consistency since Emery took over.

They are pushing for a European place against a United side that look secure in the top four right now, but they need to be careful.

Villa will be just three points behind them if they win at Old Trafford and while United have games in hand, strange things can happen at this stage of the season.

What cannot be questioned is the impact Emery has made and there is a joy in the way Villa are playing at the moment.

They have got things right defensively and that is giving the team a platform to press forward, with their attacking players full of confidence.

Those Villa defenders will have a real task on their hands today because in Marcus Rashford, they are up against a young man in incredible form.

I’ve always been a big fans of Rashford, but he lost his way horribly on the pitch and United manager Erik ten Hag deserves a lot of credit for getting him back on track.

Marcus seems like a great lad with good morals and he is also a fine player who has scored some fantastic goals this season.

If United are to finish on a high over the next few weeks and give Manchester City a game in the FA Cup Final, Rashford needs to stay fit and sharp as he is their ace card.

A prediction for Sunday’s match?

Villa’s confidence is so high that it wouldn’t surprise me if they get a positive result, whether that is a draw or even a win.