Brian Little believes the championship race is still alive ahead of Aston Villa's visit to leaders Manchester United tonight (Sky Sports 1, 8.0). United have been in awesome form this season and are odds-on favourites to win their fifth title in six years.

However, Villa manager Little feels a lot can happen between now and May and cited the example of Newcastle. "In terms of the title, the most important thing is that people hang on to Manchester United," said Little. "We saw what can happen two years ago when Newcastle had a healthy lead.

"I don't think anything is really over. I don't think Alex Ferguson will say for one minute that the championship is over. They are rightly favourites but I don't think anyone would say it's easy for them."

Villa are unbeaten in their last four meetings with United, but Little still feels the Old Trafford game is not an ideal match for the UEFA Cup quarter-finalists.

"This is probably not the game we would have chosen after our UEFA Cup win, but in the last two years we've actually gone to Old Trafford and done all right," he said. "Manchester United are in most people's minds strong favourites for the championship, so that shows what sort of game we will be facing. It's a tough one."

United defender Henning Berg said yesterday that Villa will be given respect for what they have achieved in Europe this season.

"Villa have done well in Europe so far and Brian Little will want his players fired up for this game in the same way that they have been for the UEFA Cup," he said. It's going to be a very tough game. Villa have done very well over the last few years with more or less the same squad of players and they're a team capable of doing a lot better. If we don't play up to our best standards we're going to have our hands full."

United midfielder Nicky Butt is winning his battle to recover from a hamstring injury to play, while Andy Cole will be hoping to be fully recovered from his calf complaint. Paul Scholes is unavailable as he completes his three-match suspension.

Michael Oakes will replace Mark Bosnich in the Villa goal because the Australian is on international duty with Terry Venables' Socceroos in Saudi Arabia. Dwight Yorke will be missing because of his calf injury and Lee Hendrie, nephew of Barnsley striker John Hendrie, will make his first start of the season.

Little said: "He is like a new signing. He has had injury problems this season, but seeing him coming good and creating things which won us two games was very important."

Riccardo Scimeca is in the squad and 48 hours after the game he is due to captain England's Under-21s in the second leg of their European Championship play-off against Greece at Carrow Road.

Meanwhile, Manchester United are planning a tribute match next year to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Munich air crash. United hope to line up a top European side to provide the opposition for the match early in the new year at Old Trafford. Proceeds from the match will go to survivors and the families of those who died in the disaster.

Twenty-three people, including Irish international Liam Whelan, died in the disaster at Munich airport on February 6th, 1958.