Premier League: Is this a Sky Blue Stumble? Time Will Tell…

Manchester City vs Aston Villa

The Premier League’s longtime favourites and reigning champions Manchester City are back in action on Wednesday when top-four challengers Aston Villa visit the Etihad Stadium. 

Pep Guardiola’s team has dropped four points from the last three games, drawing with both title rivals, Liverpool and Arsenal, and they are currently in third place and three points behind Jurgen Klopp’s leaders.

With nine games to play, there will be twists and turns to come, but City will be desperately keen to get back to winning ways when Unai Emery brings his Villains to Manchester.

Villa are in fourth position but they have Tottenham Hotspur breathing down their necks. And, as the last team to beat Manchester City, they may be expecting a backlash. 

Talking Points

Arsenal show the way

Three weeks ago, Liverpool held Manchester City to a 1-1 draw at Anfield, and on Easter Sunday, Arsenal pulled off a masterclass in how to frustrate the Sky Blues on their home turf. Guardiola’s side dominated possession with over 70 per cent of the ball, but they were limited to 12 shots in total and just one on target in the entire game. 

The Gunners were devilishly difficult to break down and made life uncomfortable for Erling Braut Haaland, with one marker going tight and another dropping off to give the Norwegian striker very little room.

When out of possession, the Gunners hunted in packs with their full backs narrow, and the visitors’ midfield clogged up any fluidity City tried to find.

Attacking midfielder Bernardo Silva summed up his team-mates’ frustration when he said, “It was tough to play against them because when they were pressing high, defending low, their wingers were playing as fullbacks almost in a line of six. It is never easy to play against teams that defend this well and defend so deep.”

But hey, a title challenger isn’t going to come and let you play as you want, and I don’t expect Villa to do that either. 

Manchester City’s squad is deep, but the international break caused Guardiola some headaches, and he had another one when centre-back defender Nathan Ake went off injured in the first half against Arsenal, and the Netherlands star has been ruled out for the visit of Villa, and that may see John Stones coming back into the starting line-up. 

Emery wants more of the same

Fans of Liverpool and Arsenal will take a keen interest in the Premier League 2024 updates coming out of the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, and Tottenham fans will be watching closely too, in the hope that Emery’s team falls to a defeat.

 Aston Villa’s West Midlands tussle with Wolves was a good warm-up for this match, and goals from Moussa Diaby, a well-hit strike from the edge of the penalty area, and Ezri Kona gave the Villains a comfortable win.

There was some luck in the second goal as Konsa’s cross crept in at the far post, but Emery was delighted with the win and the all-round performance. “I want more, of course,” he said. “To score a goal in different ways is very important.

But overall, I am very happy because we were very organised in the 90 minutes. The challenge we have is to go to Manchester City. We have to prepare the best possible way with the players we have. We have to keep going to be consistent.” 

Villa fans will be sweating on the news surrounding 16 goals striker Ollie Watkins, who was substituted at halftime against Wolves, and everyone at the club, Emery included, will want the England man to be fit to face Manchester City. 

As well as going well in the league, Emery’s team are in the quarterfinals of the Europa Conference League. Having just hammered Ajax 4-0, the Villains are SBOTOP favourites to win the competition at a price of 2.60, with 2023 finalists Fiorentina second favourites at 3.60.

History

With 33 victories to eight, the Sky Blues have bossed this relationship, and, when playing at home, City have not lost to the Villains in their last eight encounters. With a home league record of ten wins and four losses, it is difficult to see Guardiola’s team slipping up on Wednesday.

Guardiola and his players were disappointed to draw a blank at home to the Gunners, but the point did extend City’s home unbeaten run to 39 games. 

The last time the two teams met, back in December, a late goal from Leon Bailey gave Villa a 1-0 win in front of their own fans. 

Betting Tip

The Premier League 2024 betting odds are still leaning towards Manchester, and the Sky Blues are hot favourites to win this one, at odds of 1.27 with the draw at 5.50 and a Villa victory at 7.40; and for a correct score line, a 2-0 home win is priced at 8.00.

Arsenal have shown Villa how to frustrate the champions, but I can’t see City failing at home twice on the bounce. 

 

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