Manchester City seeks to finally end their winless run in the contest by earning a win against Aston Villa, who is inching closer in the top three. Man City is winless in their last three matches, but they remain to be at the third of the league table with 30 points. A win in this match is huge for Man City, as it could help them regain their confidence. On the other hand, Villa is at the fourth of the league table with 29 points, and a win here is huge for them. They are from a win on their previous match, which gives Villa renewed confidence. From the 179 matches these two teams played, Man City won 80 of which, while Villa managed to win just 57 matches. The meeting between these two teams is on December 7, 2023, at 4:15 AM (GMT+8).
Manchester City
Man City has been on a three-game winless run in the Premier League since 2017. They are from three consecutive draws against Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham Hotspur. The Citizens were forced to settle for just a point in a thrilling 3-3 draw against Spurs last weekend. However, defensive frailties have proved costly for the team, who are three points adrift of league leaders Arsenal. They have conceded 10 goals in their last four matches across all competitions, which is unlikely. Moreover, they only kept five clean sheets in 21 competitive matches this season. The most challenging fixture for Man City for the remainder of 2023 is against Aston Villa. Their opponent here won 10 of their last 11 meetings by an aggregate score of 32-8.
Man City’s squad is replete with players. Rodri and Grealish out due to suspensions, Jeremy Doku and Matheus Nunes assessed, and Kevin De Bruyne still out with a hamstring injury. Mateo Kovacic could replace Rodri in midfield, while John Stones could return in midfield. Phil Foden could move to the left flank, while Erling Haaland leads the line.
Aston Villa
Aston Villa’s four-game winning streak in all competitions ended last weekend with a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth. Villa’s Ollie Watkins scored a 90th-minute equaliser, his third league goal in as many games and eight in the top flight this season. Despite the draw, Villa still holds Champions League positions. However, a defeat against Man City could see them slip down to sixth in the table if both Spurs and Newcastle win their next games. The Lions will return to Villa Park, where they have won 17 of their last 18 home matches across all competitions. However, their record against Man City leaves little to be desired. They have failed to win any of their last 13 Premier League meetings with the Citizens since a 3-2 home win in September 2013.
Aston Villa are without injured Traore, Buendia, and Mings, but Boubacar Kamara is available to return after a one-match ban. Kamara could replace Tielemans and Douglas Luiz in the first XI, while John McGinn will continue on the left. Diaby will try to return to the starting lineup.
Prediction:
Manchester City (2.5)
Odds: -0.85
Ready to play?
You may place your bets for the Premier League match between Manchester City and Aston Villa at Nova88, Asia’s largest and most trusted Online Casino Malaysia. Join and play now!