Correspondent|Manchester City will look to keep up their strong run of form when they travel to Aston Villa on Sunday.
Pep Guardiola’s men have won each of their four games since that damaging 3-2 loss away at Wolves in December but remain 14 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Villa’s plight is far more desperate, with Dean Smith’s men hovering just one place and one point above the relegation zone, although they did pull off an important 2-1 win away at Burnley in their last Premier League game.
Can City keep up their momentum or will the Villains upset the applecart? Read on for our preview, predictions, team news and TV coverage information.
When is Aston Villa vs Man City and where can I watch live?
Competition: Premier League
Venue: Villa Park
Date: Sunday, 12 January 2020
Kick-off: 4:30 PM (UK time)
TV coverage (UK): Sky Sports Premier League & Sky Sports Main Event
Last five meetings: Aston Villa vs Man City
26 Oct 2019: Man City 3-0 Aston Villa (Premier League)
05 Mar 2016: Man City 4-0 Aston Villa (Premier League)
30 Jan 2016: Aston Villa 0-4 Man City (FA Cup)
08 Nov 2015: Aston Villa 0-0 Man City (Premier League)
25 Apr 2015: Man City 3-2 Aston Villa (Premier League)
Aggregate Score: Aston Villa (LLLDL) 2-14 Man City (WWWDW)
Ones to watch
Aston Villa: Frederic Guilbert
Villa are likely to spend a lot of time without the ball, chasing around City’s vibrant, dynamic attackers as they seek to create gaps.
If that is indeed the case, Smith will need a big performance from full-back Frederic Guilbert, who will be tasked with cutting off Guardiola’s famous cut-back deliveries and stopping City’s inside forwards.
Key stat: Guilbert has made more tackles (51) than any other Villa or Man City player in the Premier League this term.
Man City: Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling has somehow found yet another level to elevate his game, spearheading Guardiola’s attack with his dynamic dribbling and maverick movement.
That said, the England international has been on the scoresheet in just one of his last five appearances, so he’ll be out to prove a point at Villa Park on Sunday.
Key stat: Sterling has completed more dribbles (38) and scored more goals (11) in the Premier League than any other Man City player this season.
Team news
Aston Villa
Jonathan Kodjia missed the Carabao Cup semi-final clash against Leicester with illness and could miss out again here.
Tom Heaton, Jed Steer, John McGinn, Matt Targett, Keinan Davis and Wesley Moraes all remain sidelined.
Predicted XI: Nyland; Guilbert, Konsa, Mings, Hause, Taylor; Trezeguet, Nakamba, Luiz, Grealish; El Ghazi.
Man City
Aymeric Laporte and Leroy Sane are finally nearing fitness but Sunday’s clash still comes too soon for them.
Ederson should return between the sticks in place of Claudio Bravo.
Predicted XI: Ederson; Walker, Otamendi, Fernandinho, Mendy; Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Gundogan; Sterling, Aguero, B. Silva.
Prediction
City will head to Villa Park brimming with confidence after their Manchester derby win on Tuesday and if they can match that performance once again, it’s hard to see Dean Smith’s men having a chance of a result, despite their need for points.
Guardiola’s far superior attacking talent should expose the cracks in Villa’s defence and tip the scales.