Key events
Unai Emery: “It is a very good test”
“It's a very tough and very exciting game,” said the Villa coach. “Playing city of manchester at home it is a great motivation for us. It is a very good test.
“They have been the best team in recent years in the first division and now maybe they are not being consistent due to different circumstances. But they are the best and the coach is the best.
“Being consistent like them is difficult. They had success in recent years and were consistent in everything. They have time to become winners in this competition again.”
Pep Guardiola: “I'm fine”
“I handle the good moments, I handle the good and the bad moments,” the Manchester City manager said in his pre-match press conference. “I have had bad moments in my career as a coach but we were able to come back and now it takes longer.
“I have experience with that. I have had 40 bad days in terms of results. That is the truth if we compare it to eight years, which is much better. It has 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 all of us. When a situation goes well, we are better and when it doesn't go well professionally, we are more (focused) on what we have to do.”
Those teams: Along with Leon Bailey and Tyrone Mings, Ollie Watkins has to settle for a place on the Villa bench, with Jhon Duran starting ahead of him. Amadou Onana starts in midfield, with Diego Carlos coming off.
Pep Guardiola makes six changes from the team that started against Manchester United last weekend, with Kyle Walker and Kevin de Bruyne among the notable absences.
Ederson failed a fitness test and is replaced by Stefan Ortega, while Jack Grealish makes a rare start for the champions against his former club.
Aston Villa-Manchester City lineups
Aston Villa: Martínez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Onana, Kamara, McGinn, Tielemans, Rogers, Durán
Substitutes: Bogarde, Buendia, Barkley, Watkins, Mings, Maatsen, Nedeljkovic, Bailey, Olsen
City of Manchester: Ortega, Lewis, Stones, Akanji, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Foden, Grealish, Haaland
Substitutes: Carson, Walker, Ake, Doku, De Bruyne, Savinho, Simpson-Pusey, O'Reilly, McAtee
Today's match officials
Referee: Peter Bankes.
Attendees: Eddie Smart and Nick Greenhalgh.
Fourth referee: Andy Madley.
VAR: Darren England.
VAR Assistant: Darren Cann.
Early team news
The big news for City is that Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake have joined long-term absentees Oscar Bobb and Rodri on the bench, but Pep Guardiola will be able to turn to John Stones and Mateo Kovacic, who are reportedly fit . and available for selection. Rico Lewis has also returned 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 Durán gets the nod from Unai Emery before him. Leon Bailey has returned from a brief injury absence, but Jacob Ramsey remains out.
Premier League: Aston Villa-Man City
Now well. With team confidence in tatters after just one win in their last 11 (eleven!) games in all competitions, Manchester City travel to Villa Park hoping to shock their title hopes with a win very necessary.
It's a match few expect them to win given their current dismal form, but their hosts are unlikely to take today's task lightly, having emerged from a mini slump before falling to the canvas, courtesy of two late hits from Nikola Milenkovic and Anthony. Elanga in their match against Nottingham Forest last weekend. Kick-off at Villa Park is at 12:30 pm (GMT), but stay tuned for team news and preparations in the meantime.
