Aston Villa and Manchester City will be eager to return to winning ways when they clash at Villa Park on Saturday.
The 2024/25 Premier League season resumes this weekend with Gameweek 17 as the festive period goes into overdrive. The latest round of fixtures begins with Aston Villa vs Manchester City, a lunchtime kick-off at Villa Park.
Aston Villa and Manchester City have endured frustrating 2024/25 campaigns thus far, with both clubs faltering in recent weeks. While the two teams were hot off the blocks in the Premier League, they have blown hot and cold, leading to tumbling positions; the duo is outside the top-four places.
The latest setback for Aston Villa was the 2-1 defeat to the high-flying Nottingham Forest, with the Villans’ faltering defence contributing to their inconsistencies. The issues run deeper for Manchester City, even though the visitors are two spots above the home side.
Teams have found a way to shut down the Manchester City attack, while the team’s backline has been porous for several weeks. The latest setback for Manchester City came in the 2-1 defeat to Manchester United last weekend, a game that saw them concede two goals in three minutes to concede the three points.
The corresponding fixture last season saw Aston Villa beating Manchester City 1-0, with Leon Bailey scoring the match-winning goal. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Aston Villa
Unai Emery has greeted positive updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Aston Villa manager might be without only one first-team player vs Manchester City on Saturday.
Ollie Watkins is fit and available after recovering from a minor injury. In addition, Tyrone Mings (illness) and Leon Bailey (thigh) should return, although they require late fitness tests to determine their availability. However, Jacob Ramsey (hamstring) remains on the sidelines, although he should return in two weeks.
Emiliano Martinez is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Aston Villa lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Manchester City on Saturday. The backline should feature Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, and Lucas Digne.
As for the midfield unit, Boubacar Kamara should pair up with Youri Tielemans in the double pivot, with Amadou Onana missing out. Leon Bailey will start if he is fit and ready, joining Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins, and captain John McGinn in the backline. So, Jhon Duran will be an option on the bench for the home side.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans; Bailey, Rogers, McGinn; Watkins
Manchester City
Like his counterpart in the Aston Villa dugout, Pep Guardiola has greeted positive updates on the team news front ahead of the trip to Villa Park. The Manchester City manager will be without four first-team players on Saturday.
Rico Lewis has served his suspension and will return to the starting eleven on Saturday. In addition, Manuel Akanji has resumed training after recovering from a pelvic and abdomen issue. However, Ruben Dias is the latest absentee due to a muscular injury. The Portuguese international has joined Nathan Ake (thigh), Rodri (knee), and Oscar Bobb (leg) on the sidelines.
Dias’s absence means Manuel Akanji or John Stones should start alongside Josko Gvardiol at the heart of the defence. Rico Lewis and Kyle Walker will be the two full-backs, with Ederson taking his spot between the sticks. Manchester City will line up in a 4-1-4-1 formation in front of him vs Aston Villa on Saturday.
Mateo Kovacic will likely start as the holding midfielder, with Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne taking the creative responsibility. Erling Haaland will spearhead the Manchester City attack against Aston Villa, with Jeremy Doku and Phil Foden supporting him in the final third.
Probable Lineup (4-1-4-1): Ederson; Walker, Akanji, Gvardiol, Lewis; Kovacic; Silva, De Bruyne, Foden, Doku; Haaland
Key Stats
Aston Villa’s only victory in the 17 most recent games vs Manchester City across all competitions was a 1-0 win at home in the Premier League on 6 December last year (D2 L14).
Aston Villa have lost six of their last 11 competitive matches after going unbeaten in the 11 previous games. The Villans have averaged 1.5 points per league game this calendar year, compared to 2.02 points in 2023.
Manchester City have suffered eight defeats in their last 11 matches in all competitions, as many as they lost in their previous 106 fixtures. The Premier League champions are winless in seven successive away games in all competitions for the first time since a run of 10 from January to April 2011 under Roberto Mancini (D1 L6). They have also conceded multiple goals in seven straight outings on the road.
Aston Villa have only taken one point from their five fixtures against teams currently above them in the Premier League standings this season. However, they are on a seven-match unbeaten home run in the Premier League, while their only defeat in their 13 most recent top-flight games at Villa Park was 2-0 against Arsenal in August.
Manchester City have earned only four points from their last seven Premier League fixtures, a joint-low alongside Southampton.
Player to Watch
Phil Foden
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Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Jhon Duran, and Ollie Watkins were viable candidates for this section, as were some of the defenders from the two vulnerable backlines. However, we have picked Phil Foden as the Player to Watch for Saturday’s match between Aston Villa and Manchester City.
While the Premier League champions have dearly felt the absence of Julian Alvarez, Foden’s poor form has also contributed to their downfall. The Englishman was a productive attacker en route to winning the Premier League Player of the Year award.
However, Foden has only managed one assist thus far this term in the top flight, with Haaland having to do the heavy lifting in the final third. So, unless the 24-year-old steps up in the coming weeks, including vs Aston Villa, Manchester City will unlikely stop struggling.
Interestingly, Foden has mustered 24 shots without scoring in the Premier League this season, the most of any player yet to register a goal. So, the English international might feel his luck might turn around soon, and he will hope that happens on Saturday.
Prediction
Aston Villa 2-2 Manchester City
Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off features two teams desperate for three points as they look to embark on a winning run. However, the issues run too deep for Aston Villa and Manchester City, and their susceptible defensive units will ensure a pulsating affair at Villa Park on Saturday.
The Premier League champions have been duds on the road in recent weeks, freely conceding goals while failing to win seven successive away games. In addition, Aston Villa’s home record is impeccable. So, Manchester City should let in multiple strikes again this weekend.
However, the home side’s faltering backline will provide an opportunity for Pep Guardiola’s men. Ultimately, there might not be much to separate the two sides, and The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-2 draw between Aston Villa and Manchester City.