Aston Villa host Manchester City in the Premier League in the weekend’s early kick-off, with both sides looking to put an end to a poor run of form.
Villa may have improved in Europe recently, but they have just three wins from their last 10 league games, though Unai Emery’s side still sit in a respectable seventh place in the league – and just two points behind today’s opponents.
Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola’s side remain in an unprecedented run of poor form, with last weekend’s dramatic derby defeat to Manchester United meaning that they have just one win in their last 11 matches in all competitions.
Nevertheless, City remain in fifth place, just one point behind Nottingham Forest in the Champions League places, and a win today would take them level on points with Arsenal in third.
Follow all the Premier League action with our live blog below:
Aston Villa 1-0 Man City
60 mins: POST! Wonderful again from Villla, woeful from City, who escape again. Rogers powers into the box and gets on the end of a flick from Duran. Gvardiol’s challenge is weak and Rogers shrugs him off before firing towards the near post. It clips the outside of the upright and goes behind.
It’s Villa, Villa, Villa with an hour gone.
Aston Villa 1-0 Man City
58 mins: Brilliant from Villa, who have looked tired in recent weeks but have clearly made the most of not being involved in the Carabao Cup and having seven days off.
Duran presses Ortega and Villa win the throw high up the pitch. The home fans love it.
Aston Villa 1-0 Man City
56 mins: Another concern for Man City. After already losing Stones, Akanji takes a knock to his shoulder and stays down.
He looks like he’s going to continue. Villa, though, are looking comfortable. Emery’s side are bossing it.
Aston Villa 1-0 Man City
55 mins: History has repeated itself for John Stones. He played 45 minutes in November, taken off at half-time in defeat to Tottenham and injured again. Now he has not reappeared for the second half again. Kyle Walker’s demotion lasted half a game. City’s lack of fit defenders means they cannot play without him. It also feels as though they can’t find a way to stop Youri Tielemans.
Aston Villa 1-0 Man City
51 mins: Rare space for Foden, who turns and faces the goal. He takes the shot on but the wait for a first goal of the season continues – it ends up high and wide.
Aston Villa 1-0 Man City
50 mins: The ball is in the net…. it’s copy and paste for Villa as Tielemans turns and releases Duran, who gallops away and finishes.
Duran is offside, but he wasn’t too far away.
Aston Villa 1-0 Man City
47 mins: CHANCE! Space, so much space for Villa! They break through City with ease. Cash is released down the right, with Tielemans releasing the counter. Kamara was there for the pull-back but Cash shoots into the side-netting.
Walker and Duran were grappling off the ball. Nothing given.
Aston Villa 1-0 Man City
Back underway! A subplot here is Erling Haaland didn’t have a chance in the first half and has just one goal in his last six games…
With Walker on, Lewis has gone to left back and Gvardiol has replaced Stones in the middle.
HALF TIME! Aston Villa 1-0 Man City
There will be a change for City at the break. Kyle Walker is replacing John Stones, who had just come back from injury. Hopefully Stones hasn’t suffered a set-back.
HALF TIME! Aston Villa 1-0 Man City
As it stands, City are heading for an NINTH defeat in TWELVE games.
If the Premier League started in November, City would be in the bottom three.
They have the second half to turn it around but it’s been uninspiring stuff again.