Manchester City are looking to get back to winning ways in the Premier League tonight – and face a tough test as Aston Villa come to the Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola watched on Sunday as his players turned in a pretty poor performance against Arsenal.
The Gunners defended very stubbornly, and City’s attacking stars were completely nullified. Phil Foden, so often City’s best player in games this season, had a particularly quiet evening.
So Guardiola will be hoping for big improvements tonight – but it will not be an easy game.
Aston Villa have been going really well under Unai Emery, who has hailed Pep as the best manager in the world ahead of this contest.
Emery has Villa in fourth at the moment, and they are hoping to join City in the Champions League next season.
Everyone will need to improve tonight after the draw with Arsenal, and here is a team Pep could go with…
Predicted Manchester City line-up vs Aston Villa – Rico Lewis and Jack Grealish come in for starts
Given the injuries Pep has at the moment the goalkeeper and defence pretty much picks itself.
Stefan Ortega Moreno will continue in goal, with Ederson not yet recovered from the injury he picked up against Liverpool before the international break.
Kyle Walker remains sidelined, so £25,000-a-week youngster Rico Lewis – described earlier this season as ‘amazing’ by Pep – will likely replace him at right-back after his solid showing against Arsenal. Manuel Akanji could move inside as a result of the injury to Nathan Ake. Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol should complete the backline.
Should Lewis get the nod, it would be only his 6th start in the Premier League this term.
John Stones – who picked up an injury on England duty – has a chance to start the game, but it may just come a bit too soon for him.
In midfield, we know that Rodri is a nailed-on pick, and it’s just about who accompanies him.
Mateo Kovacic could be an option, but Pep may seek to deploy Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden as his number eights.
The pair didn’t have their best games against Arsenal, but the manager may feel they will be out to atone.
Out wide, Jack Grealish could come in, having got minutes under his belt against Arsenal. The winger has shown how key he can be in this team, and provides the control that Pep craves in games. There is also the added motivation for him with former team coming to town.
On the right could be Bernardo Silva who, like Grealish, provides that control. Potentially though, we could see Bernardo central and Foden out on the right.
And up top will be Erling Haaland, who will be determined to be more impactful after he was kept so quiet by Arsenal on Sunday.
A lot has been said about him since that game, as is always the case when City drop points and he doesn’t score.
But you would not put it past him to come roaring back tonight.
This will be a hard game and, simply put, performance will not matter too much as long as it’s three points at the end.
Manchester City (4-3-3): Ortega/Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol/Rodri, De Bruyne, Foden/Bernardo, Haaland, Grealish.