Aston Villa vs Manchester City: EPL Previews, odds and Predictions

Manchester City will go to Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon for a vital boost this weekend. Will Man City be able to get back to winning ways? Follow our match preview and predictions.

Previous Matches and Head-to-head

The home team, Aston Villa, is looking for some much-needed stability after last week's incredible last-gasp collapse, which saw them lose 2-1 away to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. Unai Emery's squad begins this weekend's games without a European berth despite having a three-match winning streak across all competitions at the beginning of December.

But after an incredible Champions League journey this season—including a historic 3-2 away triumph against German powerhouse RB Leipzig earlier this month—Villa will be thrilled to be back home, especially for this match. The former Arsenal manager had led his team to a perfect record in the Midlands since the end of August when they defeated Brentford 3-1 to kick off December.

Manchester City is at the center of what has swiftly become a public crisis as the visitors endure their spectacular last-gasp collapse at the Etihad. A significant amount of weight is on Pep Guardiola's shoulders as his team loses 2-1 at home to fierce local rivals Manchester United.

Even though Chelsea became the first club in Premier League history to win four domestic crowns in a row last season, the former Barcelona manager has seen his superstar team's meteoric rise and fall. Man City have broken a run of unwelcome records and are surprisingly not in the Champions League spots. In their last eleven matches across all competitions, they have only managed one win, a streak that began on October 26th.

Aston Villa vs Manchester City Team News

Aston Villa will be without Leon Bailey and Jacob Ramsey for another weekend as they both suffer muscle issues. Ollie Watkins, an England international, will be vying for a starting role after having to settle for a bench role last week away at Nottingham Forest.

But with three goals in as many games and a consolation goal last weekend at the City Ground, John Duran should continue to start up front. An injury to former Everton midfielder Amadou Onana, who hasn't played since returning from the November international break, might give the team a major boost on Saturday afternoon.

Rodri, named Ballon d'Or, will likely sit out the rest of the season after knee surgery in September. Rico Lewis, an England international, will be back in Guardiola's lineup on Saturday afternoon after serving a one-match ban against Manchester United last weekend.

The former Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic, who made his Premier League debut last weekend after coming off the bench, may get his first start since early November. Erling Haaland will be a major contributor in the attacking third, even if he has only scored once in the Premier League since returning from the international break in November.

Our Predictions

Both teams will score 1.51 on Sky247.ng.

Even though Manchester City have won each of their past 17 meetings with Aston Villa, Pep Guardiola's faltering team should have a tough time this time. Following last weekend's dramatic collapse, in which they lost 2-1 to their fierce local rivals at the Etihad, Guardiola's squad is now embroiled in a public crisis. Villa, who have gone winless in their last eleven matches across all competitions, will be itching to take a heavyweight scalp today.

Elevate your betting experience with SKY247 Nigeria. Join now and discover a thrilling world of sports, live events, and exclusive bonuses. Bet with confidence on your favorite teams and games.