City v Aston Villa: Kick-off time, team news and TV info

 High-flying Aston Villa are at home to Manchester City in what should be a thrilling 90 minutes of Premier League football.

Two of the most in-form teams in England’s top division meet for what is sure to be a cracking game between two of the highest-scoring sides in the Premier League.

The last time they met, Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan, and Riyad Mahrez were all on target in the first half as City won 3-1 to close the gap behind then-league leaders Arsenal to just three points.

There was nevertheless a stalemate in last season’s corresponding fixture at Villa Park under the tutelage of ex-boss Steven Gerrard as Villa frustrated the Sky Blues early on in the campaign.

The team featured on that day is much different from the current Villa setup, who have become one of the best teams in the top flight since Emery returned to England as they sensationally rose from 17th position to qualification for European football at the end of last term.

The Lions now have one of the most lethal and tactically-astute teams in the league as they set sights on making a big splash at the top end of the standings.

Emery’s men started a promising campaign in the worst fashion possible as they were thumped 5-1 at Newcastle in the first match of the season. The Villans roared back with emphatic victories over Everton and Burnley, which saw seven goals scored, and only one conceded.

Liverpool were too good for them in a 3-0 defeat at Anfield, but they got three points in their next match with a late comeback against Crystal Palace. Then, a 1-0 win at Chelsea and a 6-1 thrashing of Brighton shone the spotlight brightly at Villa Park as they kept up their unbeaten run with a draw at Wolves and another win against West Ham.

Furthermore, John McGinn, Moussa Diaby, and a Tom Lockyer own goal got Villa a 3-1 victory over Luton Town for their fifth win in six Premier League games.

That result made it 12 consecutive wins at home, during which they scored 34 goals and conceded just six, and it consolidated Villa’s position in the top five with an impressive 22 points after the first 10 games.

The West Midlands outfit is now looking onwards and upwards as they are backed to compete for the European slots. Par for the course, they have a well-balanced squad with a technically sound manager capable of getting a result against any team over 90 minutes.

Aston Villa will thus be put to the ultimate test against Pep Guardiola’s charges, who charged to an unprecedented treble last term. Unsurprisingly, they are still their usually ruthless selves in 2023/24.

The Premier League winners breezed past Burnley, Newcastle, Sheffield United, and Fulham in their first four matches, displaying their immaculate control and game management.

The first international break did not slow them down. They returned with a bang against West Ham United, beating them 3-1 and then seeing off Nottingham Forest 2-0 despite losing influential midfielder Rodri to a red card.

A midweek cup defeat to Newcastle was seen as a blip, but it manifested into something more significant when Man City lost 2-1 at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Then, the top-of-the-table clash against Arsenal was decided by Gabriel Martinelli’s deflected shot at the Emirates Stadium.

Such bumps are expected for a team with lofty ambitions like the Citizens. They proved as much by bouncing back with successive wins against Brighton, Young Boys – in the UEFA Champions League – and a commanding 3-0 win over United in the Manchester Derby.

They never lost their groove and must be ready to punish a plucky Villa team. If there is one team that can stop the hosts’ long winning streak, it is City, who have the quality and history, having won five of their last six games against Aston Villa, with three coming via a single-goal margin.

Match Tickets

As Premier League football takes center stage in December, this match is scheduled for Wednesday, 6 December 2023, with kick-off at 9:15 PM UK time. Match tickets will be available for sale on each club’s website for season ticket holders to claim.

Still, there is expected to be a rush for Aston Villa vs Manchester City tickets, given this should be an epic encounter.

This match will certainly attract neutrals, too, considering the attacking football on show, so Villa Park will be packed to capacity as they hope to preserve their unbeaten run on home soil. Supporters who are desperate to attend the match can still do so by purchasing their ticket from a ticket resale site.  

Team News

Tyronne Mings and Emiliano Buendia are set for long-term layoffs, while Jacob Ramsey and Alex Moreno have suffered setbacks in their respective returns from injury.

Emery will hope to have his key players fit for this crucial game. Still, there are questions over a possible punishment for Nicolo Zaniolo, mentioned in the Italian betting scandal.

Zack Steffen and Kevin De Bruyne are entirely ruled out for Man City, with the Belgian still some way off a return to training.

Line-ups

Ollie Watkins has been one of the most consistent Premier League forwards since Emery’s arrival, and his importance to the Villa cause is laid bare by his five and as many assists in 10 league games.

The striker’s presence in and out of possession is critical as he is critical to getting any joy in the attack...............................................................................................................

Jeremy Doku has been turning heads since joining City as he continues to stake his claim for a consistent starting spot. He will be eyeing a start here with instructions to hurt Villa’s overlapping full-backs.

Rodri will also be influential again as he is tasked with stopping Villa’s counterattacks at source to protect his backline..

Prediction

City should be winning this regardless of Aston Villa’s good form, but the Lions will be desperate to get a result that keeps their fantastic home streak.

If they can be effective with their fast breaks, they have a fair chance of scoring with a ruthless operator like Watkins up front. This should be an exhilarating attacking spectacle nonetheless.