Premier League: Aston Villa vs Manchester City match preview

A look ahead to Saturday’s Premier League fixture at Villa Park

David Hughes
Friday 03 October 2014 14:20 BST
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Paul Lambert and Aston Villa assistant manager Roy Keane look on during the match. Keane was uncharacteristically quiet on the sidelines
Paul Lambert and Aston Villa assistant manager Roy Keane look on during the match. Keane was uncharacteristically quiet on the sidelines

Manuel Pellegrini’s Manchester City need a win at Villa Park to keep the pressure on title rivals Chelsea. City have won just four of their 10 matches in all competitions this season, but each victory has come in some style. Last week, they followed a 7-0 demolition of Sheffield Wednesday in the Capital One Cup with a 4-2 league victory over Hull, but were unable to see off a solid Roma outfit in their midweek Champions League fixture. In third place, and already five points off José Mourinho’s outfit, Pellegrini will be hoping that victory here can begin a period of consistency for his expensively-assembled and mercurial side.

Aston Villa are in the middle of a difficult run of fixtures after playing Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, with a trip to Goodison Park awaiting them after the international break. Paul Lambert’s side lost heavily to Arsenal and Chelsea, but Villa have won three of their last six home fixtures against City, and are sitting in sixth place after starting the season with three consecutive victories.

A clinical approach will be key to his side getting a result – Villa’s four league goals this season came from their first six shots on target, spread across four games.

KICK-OFF: Saturday, 5.30pm

Pellegrini in midweek

PAST THREE MEETINGS…

Man City 4 (Dzeko 2, Jovetic, Touré) Aston Villa 0, Premier League, May 2014

Aston Villa 3 (El Ahmadi, Bacuna, Weimann) Man City 2 (Touré, Dzeko), Premier League, September 2013

Aston Villa 0 Man City 1 (Tevez), Premier League, March 2013

STATS…

Aston Villa have won just two of their last 11 league clashes with Man City.

Villa have finished either 15 or 16 in each of their last three Premier League campaigns.

Only Liverpool have scored more than Man City’s 60 Premier League goals since the start of the calendar year.

Sergio Aguero has scored 21 goals in his last 24 Premier League starts.

ODDS…

Aston Villa to win: 7.50

Man City to win: 1.4

Draw: 4.2

TV: Live on Sky Sports 1 at 5.30pm, highlights on BBC1 at 10.30pm.

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