Manchester City is going through a challenging stretch of the season, having to play against representatives from the top four. So far, the “Cityzens” haven’t fully coped with this. Draws were recorded against “Liverpool” (1-1) and “Arsenal” (0-0). The match against the “Gunners” is notable because it was the first time in 58 home games that the team failed to score. Ahead lies another equally tough match against “Aston Villa,” who defeated them with a minimal score of 1-0 in the first round encounter. In the league table, Pep Guardiola’s team sits third. They are one point behind “Arsenal” and three behind “Liverpool.” At home since the start of the season, “Manchester City” has played 15 matches without suffering a single defeat but has drawn five times. Due to injuries, defenders Kyle Walker and Nathan Ake, as well as goalkeeper Ederson, will miss the match.
Aston Villa approaches the upcoming away game in fourth place, trailing “City” by five points, having played one more match. Clearly, maintaining fourth place is currently a more pressing task for the Birmingham side, as “Tottenham” is closing in from below. In recent rounds, Unai Emery’s team hasn’t shown consistency. They suffered a crushing home defeat to “Tottenham” (0-4), drew with “West Ham” (1-1), and secured a victory over “Wolverhampton” (2-0). It’s worth noting that “Aston Villa” has only lost four times away from home since the start of the season. The guests have many injured players. Today, forwards Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Buendia, defenders Matty Cash and Tyrone Mings, as well as midfielders Jacob Ramsey and Boubacar Kamara, will be unable to take the field. Additionally, midfielder John McGinn will miss the match due to suspension.
