Manchester City-Aston Villa is a match valid for the twenty-third day of the Premier League and is played on Sunday at 17:30: TV, formations, predictions.
It can’t be said that what is coming to a close has been an easy week for Manchester City, but matters on the pitch in this case have nothing to do with it. The club owned by Sheikh Mansour has been accused of breaching financial fair play on several occasions over the past decade and is therefore facing a not easy legal battle.
In England they are convinced that, in the event of a conviction, various scenarios could open up: among the most catastrophic are those of relegation to the Championship or the cancellation of the titles won in recent years. Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, did not appear worried in front of the cameras and said he is convinced that his club will come out of this ugly affair clean. However, the risk of this having repercussions on the players’ heads is very high. Especially at a delicate moment like this, when Haaland and his teammates are not performing as well as they should. Last Sunday the Citizens had to reckon with another defeat, the fourth so far in the Premier League: Tottenham avenged the comeback they had suffered a few weeks earlier, preventing the Catalan coach and his men from taking advantage of Arsenal’s false step, unexpectedly fallen at home to Everton.
The summit remains five points away, but the Gunners have played one match less. If the aim is to bring home a third consecutive title, then the margin for error starts to get smaller and smaller. With Aston Villa it is a game not to be missed.
Dibu Martinez
Unai Emery, who arrived in Birmingham last November, has put a lot of things right but the Villans for now remain an inconsistent team, perhaps not yet mature enough to fight for Europe. After two consecutive victories against Leeds and Southampton, Aston Villa in the last round were overwhelmed by a Leicester in crisis, who scored four goals at Villa Park despite having gone down twice in the first half (2-4).
The Prediction
A convincing victory is what Manchester City need to turn the page after the defeat to Tottenham and the extra-field vicissitudes. Guardiola’s side have plenty of reasons to do well against Aston Villa, who are unlikely to do much damage control. Recent matches between the Citizens and Villas have been lively, and this one is likely to be no exception: at least three goals in total are expected.
Manchester City v Aston Villa matchday squad
- MANCHESTER CITY (4-3-3): Ederson; Lewis, Akanji, Laporte, Aké; Gundogan, Rodri, De Bruyne; Mahrez, Haaland, Grealish.
- ASTON VILLA (4-3-3): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Alex Moreno; Kamara, Douglas Luiz, Ramsey; Buendia, Watkins, Bailey.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 3-1
