Aston Villa look to extend their home winning run as they prepare for a tough test against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in a mid-week clash at Villa Park.
Here’s the latest heading into the first of two crucial Premier League games this week…
Words by: Liam Davies
THE BUILD UP
Aston Villa look to extend their league winning run at home to 14 as they host Manchester City at Villa Park. The champions are the only side that Villa have failed to beat since their promotion back to the top flight in 2019. Emery’s side have an added incentive to win, knowing they can leapfrog City with a victory tomorrow night; the claret and blue side can climb as high as second if results go their way after the mid-week action.
The West-Midlands outfit enter the fixture against the treble-winners on the back of a hard-fought draw with Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon.
The travelling Villans twice came from behind on the day as Ollie Watkins rescued a point late on at the Vitality Stadium. Antoine Semenyo, who caused problems all game, opened the scoring early on down on the south-coast, before Leon Bailey responded in the 20th minute. Diego Carlos thought he’d scored his first Premier League moments later, but the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR check.
Goalkeeper Emi Martรญnez kept his side in the game with a number of top class saves, but the Argentine could not prevent Dominic Solanke from putting The Cherries back ahead in 52nd minute. Bournemouth looked good for the win as the game entered the closing stages until Ollie Watkins’ expertly executed 90th minute header drew the game level.
Manchester City enter tomorrow’s game on the back of three consecutive draws in the Premier League, with their most recent stalemate being Sunday’s chaotic 3-3 home draw with Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur.
It was the visitors, despite their mammoth injury list, who opened the scoring at the Etihad Stadium, with captain Son Heung-min firing an effort past Ederson in the sixth minute. Just three minutes later, the South-Korean forward would send the ball into his own net following a dangerous City free-kick as the score-line read 1-1 inside the first ten minutes.
Phil Foden put the hosts ahead just after the half-four mark, finishing off a fine, free-flowing move and Guardiola’s team went in at the break a goal up. Giovani Lo Celso, scoring in consecutive games, levelled things up in the 69th minute, before substitute Jack Grealish tapped home Erling Haaland’s cut-back for 3-2 with ten minutes to go.
Man City looked good for the three points, until Swedish forward Dejan Kuluseveski would go on to score a late header as Spurs amazingly found a way back into the game again and would walk away with a well-earned point on the road.
Unai Emery says he is looking forward to playing against Manchester City and is excited to be back at Villa Park. On tomorrow’s opposition and the home support, the Basque boss said: โAlways I want to play against the best teams and the best players. We are analysing the opponent and analysing them more collectively than individually. I think their structure is very strong, itโs very difficult to stop their ball possession.
โThey will have some players out but they are going to play with other very good players.โ
Can Aston Villa continue their winning record at Villa Park with a massive victory over Pep Guardiola’s side or will the champions prove too much and take all three points on the night?
TEAM NEWS
ASTON VILLA
Aston Villa midfielder Boubacar Kamara is back from suspension and is in line to begin tomorrow’s game at Villa Park, alongside the likes of Douglas Luiz and John McGinn.
The Frenchmen missed the recent Premier League encounter against Bournemouth on the south-coast after picking up too many yellow cards before match-day 19’s cut-off point, but is back in the fold and ready to face the current champions.
Ollie Watkins returned to action on Sunday afternoon after missing the mid-week UEFA Europa Conference League fixture against Legia Warsaw with a knock and is okay for tomorrow’s big game against Guardiola’s side.
Elsewhere, winger Bertrand Traorรฉ remains absent with the knock picked up whilst away with Burkino Faso during November’s international break, while Tyrone Mings and Emi Buendรญa are kept out with their respective long-term knee injuries.
Speaking on the condition and fitness levels of the rest of the squad amid a busy festive period, Emery said: โEvery day is very important, how the players are recovering after the last match.
MANCHESTER CITY
Pep Guardiola will be without midfielder Rodri for Wednesday’s meeting with Aston Villa through suspension.
The Spaniard picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in Sunday’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur and will miss tomorrow’s game, as a result. Likewise, former Villan Jack Grealish is also unavailable after receiving five cautions before the half-way point in the season.
Elsewhere, summer signing Jรฉrรฉmy Doku is a doubt for the upcoming fixture at Villa Park through injury. The Belgian hobbled off at the Etihad Stadium on the weekend, with Pep Guardiola confirming that the winger felt discomfort in his leg early into the second-half, causing him to be withdrawn and replaced by Grealish. The 21-year-old will be assessed later today ahead of Wednesday’s game.
On the condition of the former Stade Rennais forward, he said: โAs for Doku, again, we have training this afternoon. I will talk with the doctors and see after.โ
Kevin De Bruyne is another big name unavailable for City. The midfielder has missed the majority of the 2023/24 season with a hamstring injury which is expected to keep the Belgian out until the new year.
Former Wolves man Matheus Nunes is expected to feature at Villa Park, however. The 25-year-old midfielder returned to first-team training towards the end of last week on the back of a small injury sustained during the international break and, despite missing the draw with Spurs, looks likely to get minutes tomorrow.
To finish, England international John Stones could complete his return to the starting eleven this week. The central defender has missed the last four games through injury, having struggled all season with a muscular injury that kept him out of action between August and October.
Commenting on the condition of the 29-year-old ahead of the game, Guardiola said: โHe was ready for the last game, and heโs ready now.โ
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A BIT ON MANCHESTER CITY…
It goes without saying that Manchester City are one of the greatest sides in the world (if not the greatest). Last season’s success demonstrates just how much of a force they are not only in the Premier League, but in the whole of Europe too. Guardiola’s side became just the second in English football history – and tenth in European history – to complete ‘the treble’; winning the league, the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup.
Since joining the blue side of Manchester in 2016, the Catalonian head coach has won a total of 14 major trophies, including five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups, two Community Shields and last season’s prestigious Champions League.
The Citizens have made positives starts both domestically and in Europe as Pep’s side look to defend their honours. The Sky Blues will finish as winners of Group G with a game to spare, seeing off RB Leipzig, Young Boys and Red Star Belgrade to advance into the knockout stages.
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In the Premier League, City look just as strong, but are currently third in the division (on 30 points) after 14 games played; three points off Arsenal who occupy top spot and just a point ahead of tomorrow’s opponents, Aston Villa, in fourth.
Despite losing August’s Community Shield on penalties, the treble-winners began the campaign strongly, winning each of their opening eight games, including a Super Cup triumph over Sevilla. Guardiola’s side lost their final two fixtures in September, however, falling at the hands of Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup and Wolves in the Premier League.
These results were followed by a 1-0 defeat away at Arsenal and five consecutive wins in all competitions, but City do enter tomorrow’s game on the back of three straight draws in the league. A dramatic 4-4 stalemate with Chelsea in November was followed up by a 1-1 draw with Jรผrgen Klopp’s Liverpool and Sunday’s 3-3 with Spurs.
Pep Guardiola will be looking to put an end to Aston Villa’s incredible home run and get back to winning ways with a big victory at Villa Park tomorrow night.
The former Barcelona manager was full of praise for his managerial counterpart, Unai Emery, and his Aston Villa side ahead of tomorrow’s game in the West-Midlands. He said: โThe fact his teams and all the teams heโs managed, the effect is there. His print is already there.”
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MY PREDICTED LINE-UP
Letโs take a look at my predicted line-up for this upcoming fixture at Villa Parkโฆ
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