Pep Guardiola has highlighted which Aston Villa player could be an issue for Manchester City in their Premier League fixture on Sunday.
Man City had a slow start to the season, but their form has turned around in the last few weeks.
They go into the fixture having won their last three matches in all competitions, moving them to within touching distance of the Premier League summit.
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However, Aston Villa have improved after their own struggles early in 2025/26, and Guardiola has now picked out one player who could cause his team problems when the two sides meet this weekend.
Pep Guardiola during Manchester City v Everton - Premier League
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Pep Guardiola highlights Emiliano Martinez before Aston Villa vs Manchester City
Speaking live in his pre-match press conference, the Spaniard gave his verdict on Unai Emery as a coach and was quick to single out the impact of Emiliano Martinez at Villa Park.
He said: “Defensively really good, set-pieces also and after that they’ve improved a lot over the last years.
“With the keeper they have it’s difficult to control the pressing. They bring a lot of players in the middle, the connection is really good, they break the lines and when that happens they are so, so quick.
“A really complete team.”
Martinez has been praised for his performances during the early stages of the 2025/26 campaign.
But if things had gone differently this summer, Aston Villa may well have had a different number one going into the Man City meeting.
Emiliano Martinez in action for Aston Villa in the Premier League
Photo by Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images
Who Monchi wanted to replace Emiliano Martinez with at Aston Villa
It was reported that Martinez was waiting for Manchester United at the end of the window.
A move never came to pass, leaving Ben Foster shocked. But Villa fans may be even more surprised to learn who Monchi lined up to replace the goalkeeper if he did move on.
Following the close of the transfer window, it emerged that the now former Aston Villa chief was eyeing up a deal for Mark Flekken.
The ex-Brentford man instead departed the Premier League to secure a transfer to Bayer Leverkusen, where he has kept one clean sheet in 11 appearances so far.