Manchester City will take to the field for the first time since the financial allegations against them were released when they face Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday.
It’s been an eventful few days for Pep Guardiola’s side, whose off-field dealings have taken the spotlight away from a run of three defeats in their last six games in all competitions, but the boss will demand a focused response from his defending champions.
They’re up against a Villa side who have struggled with consistency this season but are just one positive set of results away from climbing up into the top half of the Premier League table for the first time since mid-August.
Here’s all you need to know about this one.
Man City vs Aston Villa H2H Results (Last Five Games)
Current Form (Last Five Games)
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Man City team news
Centre-back John Stones will miss the next few games with a hamstring injury but that’s the only guaranteed absence for Guardiola to contend with. Phil Foden has been unwell but is expected to return in time for this one, although whether he starts is a different matter.
A shift in formation didn’t yield the results Guardiola was hoping for last time out against Tottenham so expect Julian Alvarez to return to the bench in favour of playing another central midfielder.
(4-3-3): Ederson; Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Ake; Rodri, Gundogan, De Bruyne; Mahrez, Haaland, Grealish.
Aston Villa team news
Ashley Young hobbled off with what looked like a muscle injury last time out and could be replaced at right-back by Matty Cash. Midfielder John McGinn is back from a thigh problem, however, and could return on the right side of Villa’s midfield.
Bertrand Traore is expected to be available. The winger has been injured since his return from loan but could earn himself a spot on the bench if all goes well.
(4-4-2): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; McGinn, Kamara, Douglas Luiz, Ramsey; Watkins, Buendia.
You never quite know what you’re going to get from either of these sides. City are obvious favourites and should get the job done fairly easily, but that all depends on which Villa turns up.
Unai Emery’s side have beaten Manchester United and Tottenham, and they’ve also shipped four goals to Leicester. With a display like the latter, this one could get really ugly for the Villans.
The Villa boss will demand an improvement, and he’ll probably get one, but that’ll likely not be enough.
Prediction: Man City 3-0 Aston Villa
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