In an exciting midweek Premier League clash, Aston Villa faces reigning champions Manchester City at Villa Park. Both teams are keen to secure a victory after a series of mixed results.
Match Preview
Aston Villa’s recent winning streak across competitions ended with a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth, where Ollie Watkins rescued a point with a late goal.
Despite the draw, Villa remains in a strong position in the league but faces the risk of dropping in the standings if they don’t secure a win against City.
Villa’s home form has been impressive, winning 17 of their last 18 home matches in all competitions. However, their record against Manchester City hasn’t been favorable, with no wins in their last 13 Premier League meetings.
Manchester City, despite their reigning champions status, are enduring a rare three-game winless streak in the Premier League.
Their recent 3-3 draw against Tottenham was marred by controversy after a late disallowed goal, contributing to City’s defensive concerns as they’ve conceded 10 goals in their last four matches.
The fixture against Villa is a challenging one for City, but historically, they’ve had a strong record against their opponents, winning 10 of their last 11 meetings.
Team News
Aston Villa will miss Bertrand Traore, Emiliano Buendia, and Tyrone Mings due to injury. Boubacar Kamara returns from suspension, providing options in midfield, while Moussa Diaby and Matty Cash are in contention for starting spots.
Manchester City will be without Rodri and Jack Grealish due to suspensions. Matheus Nunes remains doubtful due to a muscle problem, and Kevin De Bruyne is sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Jeremy Doku and Erling Haaland are set to feature prominently in City’s attack.
Predicted Lineups
Aston Villa:(4-4-2)
Martinez;
Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Digne;
Bailey, Kamara, Luiz, McGinn;
Diaby, Watkins
Manchester City:(3-2-4-1)
Ederson;
Walker, Dias, Ake;
Akanji, Kovacic;
Foden, Alvarez, Bernardo, Doku;
Haaland
Prediction: Aston Villa 1-2 Manchester City
Both Villa and City possess potent attacking capabilities, but City’s past dominance over Villa and their desire to bounce back from recent setbacks might give them the edge in this contest.
However, expect an entertaining match with City securing a narrow victory.