Aston Villa v Manchester City: Premier League – Live | Premier League

On December 21, 2024By Littum

Key events

Manchester City’s players were out for an early warm-up. Photo: Hannah McKay/Reuters

Jack Grealish is warming up on his return to Villa Park. Photo: Hannah McKay/Reuters

Pep Guardiola takes the weight off before kick-off at Villa Park. Photo: Lee Smith/Action Images/Reuters

Unai Emery: “It’s a very good test”

“It’s a very tough and very exciting game,” said Villa’s manager. “Playing Manchester City at home is great motivation for us. It’s a very good test.

“They have been the best team for the last few years in the Premier League and now they might not be consistent in different circumstances. But they are the best and the coach is the best.

“To be consistent like they are is difficult. They were successful in the last few years and were consistent in everything. They have time to be a winner again in this competition.”

Pep Guardiola: “I’m fine”

“I handle the good moments – I handle the bad moments well,” the Manchester City manager said in his pre-match press conference. “I’ve had bad ones in my career as a manager but we were able to come back and now it’s taking longer.

“I have experience with that. I have had 40 days of bad days in terms of results. That’s the truth when compared to eight years, which is much better. There have been eight years of incredible (results) and now we have 40-45 days of (bad results).

“I’m fine. I’m a normal person with feelings like the rest of us. When a situation goes well, we’re better, and when things don’t go well professionally, we’re more (focused) on what we have to do.”

A few Villa fans get in a festive mood. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA

These teams: Along with Leon Bailey and Tyrone Mings, Ollie Watkins has to make do with a place on the Villa bench, with Jhon Duran starting ahead of him. Amadou Onana starts in midfield, with Diego Carlos dropping out.

Pep Guardiola makes six changes to the team that started against Manchester United last weekend, with Kyle Walker and Kevin de Bruyne among the notable absentees.

Ederson has failed a fitness test and is replaced by Stefan Ortega, while Jack Grealish gets a rare start for the champions against his former club.

Jhon Duran will be hoping for a few celebratory knee-slides at Villa Park this afternoon. Photo: Anna Gowthorpe/REX/Shutterstock

The line-ups between Aston Villa and Manchester City

Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Onana, Kamara, McGinn, Tielemans, Rogers, Duran

Substitutes: Bogarde, Buendia, Barkley, Watkins, Mings, Maatsen, Nedeljkovic, Bailey, Olsen

Manchester United: Ortega, Lewis, Stones, Akanji, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Foden, Grealish, Haaland

Subs: Carson, Walker, Ake, Doku, De Bruyne, Savinho, Simpson-Pusey, O’Reilly, McAtee

Today’s match leaders

Judge: Peter Banks.
Assistants: Eddie Smart and Nick Greenhalgh.
Fourth Official: Andy Madley.
WAS: Darren England.
Assistant VAR: Darren Cann.

Peter Bankes leads today’s team of match officials at Villa Park. Photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images

Early team news

The big news from the City camp is that Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake have joined long-term absentees Oscar Bobb and Rodri on the sidelines, but Pep Guardiola will be able to call on John Stones and Mateo Kovacic, who are both reported to be in form. and can be selected. Rico Lewis is also back from suspension, but Ederson’s participation is in doubt.

Villa striker Ollie Watkins has recovered from injury but will have to settle for a place on the bench if the in-form Jhon Duran gets the nod from Unai Emery ahead of him. Leon Bailey is back after a short lay-off with injury, but Jacob Ramsey remains out.

John Stones is available for selection after almost a month out with injury. Photo: Peter Powell/EPA

Premier League: Aston Villa v Man City

Well, now. With the team’s confidence low after just one win in their last 11 (eleven!) matches in all competitions, Manchester City travel to Villa Park hoping to electrocute their title hopes back to life with a much-needed victory.

It’s a game that few expect them to win given their current abysmal form, but their hosts are unlikely to take today’s task lightly after coming out of their own mini-slump before hit the canvas thanks to two late sucker punches from Nikola Milenkovic and Anthony Elanga in their game against Nottingham Forest last weekend. Kick-off at Villa Park is at 12.30 (GMT), but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.