****Aston Villa****have emphatically responded to their sluggish start to the campaign. In three Premier League fixtures in August, they picked up just one point and scored no goals, and the failure to beat **Everton**or **Sunderland**after the international break extended the winless streak to five encounters.
The bailout for the Villans, and unsurprisingly Unai Emery, was the start of their continental campaign. A 1-0 win over Bologna and a 2-0 triumph at **De Kuip**against **Feyenoord**kicked off the Europa League journey in the right way, sandwiching a 3-1 beating of **Fulham**in the league.
**Burnley**and a successful away day at **Tottenham**marked the next two positive steps on a five match winning streak, and even in a 2-1 loss to Go Ahead Eagles, the beginning of the performance was bright. Squad members are getting fitter, and Emery is confident that belief is building in his camp.
Man City continue to quietly conduct their business. Their season started slowly with a 2-0 defeat to **Tottenham**and 2-1 loss to **Brighton**before the end of August. However, their form has improved.
The Citizens came back from the September international break with a 3-0 victory over Man United before battling to a 1-1 draw at Arsenal. They have not looked back since that moment. Victories over Burnley, Brentford, Everton, Napoli and **Villarreal**have followed, and a 2-2 draw at **Monaco**has been the only occasion in their last six outings that the team have failed to take away all three points.
City have taken 39 points since the start of April, more than any outfit in the Premier League, and are the closest challengers to table topping Arsenal, sitting three points off the summit and a point ahead of reigning champions Liverpool. Slowly but surely, **Pep Guardiola**is getting his groove back.
Aston Villa
Lucas Digne suffered an ankle injury in a collision with Kevin Danso last weekend and he was absent from the matchday squad in Dentver, so there might be more minutes for Ian Maatsen.
Ezri Konsa and Matty Cash will expect to replace **Victor Lindelof**and Tyrone Mings, though there is a possibility that **Pau Torres**drops out as Emery’s men have to try and shut down Erling Haaland.
Youri Tielemans has stayed out of action with an ongoing calf complaint, while **Boubacar Kamara**should return to the lineup after being rested for Lamare Bogarde as the partner to Amadou Onana.
Similarly, Emiliano Buendia and Ollie Watkins were replacements for John McGinn and Donyell Malen. Malen might make way for Watkins due to the Englishman’s work rate and channel running.
Man City
Abdukodir Khusanov had established himself as an option at right back in September, but an injury forced him off the field against Arsenal, and there is no indication that he will become available soon.
Guardiola must also handle a possible midfield dilemma. **Rodri**came off against **Brentford**with a hamstring injury at the start of the month, still sitting on the sidelines. **Nico Gonzalez**got a knock to his feet against Villarreal, but the manager is much more hopeful that he will be fit for the weekend.
If the Spaniard cannot last for the full 90 minutes, Mateo Kovacic is back in the fold. He has returned from surgery to his Achilles, and came off the bench to play in the Champions League in midweek.
A trio of signings from the calendar year have bounced back from injuries. Rayan Cherki and Omar Marmoush came off the bench on Tuesday while Rayan Ait-Nouri was in the matchday squad.
Likely Line-ups
Aston Villa
Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen; Onana, Kamara; Guessand, Rogers, McGinn; Watkins
Man City
Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Nico, Reijnders; Bernardo, Foden, Doku; Haaland
Key Players
Aston Villa – Boubacar Kamara
Even during their recent run, chance creation has not been easy for the Villans, but their improvement has coincided with the return of a key figure for Emery’s 4-4-2 system in the middle of the park.
**Boubacar Kamara**has suffered his fair share of injuries in the Midlands, but the Frenchman is an important player to set the standards that the side are trying to reach. He is a stable figure in front of the back four and will have vital work to do with **Amadou Onana**to stop service into Phil Foden.
Most of all, he is an excellent progressor of the ball, capable of receiving in central, congested spaces and releasing the passes to let **John McGinn**or Morgan Rogers do their work in the final third.
Man City – Erling Haaland
The Citizens are in contention for the crown, and they are grateful to one man for his relentlessness.
Erling Haaland started the league campaign with three goals across three fixtures, but he has hit a different level since the return from the international break in September. He scored twice against Man United, Burnley, **Monaco**and Everton, also bagging against Arsenal, **Napoli**and Brentford.
His strike against **Villarreal**was his 15th across just 11 appearances in the Champions League and Premier League. Always an aerial threat and a supreme athlete, his range of finishing has become more emphatic over time and he is embracing the responsibility of being the outstanding talisman.
Match Details
Where is the game being played?
The game will take place at the home of Aston Villa, Villa Park.
What time is kick-off?
The kick-off is scheduled for 14:00 BST on Sunday, 26 October 2025.
How can I watch?
Footage for viewers in the UK will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.