| Odds via 22bet | |
| Aston Villa vs Manchester City | Saturday, December 21, 12:30 GMT+1 |
| Aston Villa odds | 3.32 |
| Manchester City odds | 2.10 |
| Draw | 3.58 |
| Over\Under | Total 2.5: 1.59 / 2.35 |
After a well-deserved away win over Leipzig (3-2), Aston Villa lost against Nottingham Forest with a score of 1-2.
In the first half of the match against Forest, both teams were evenly matched, with no significant dangerous moments. In the second half, Jhon Durán scored a goal for the third game in a row. It seemed that Villa could secure the win without any problems.
As the match progressed, though, it was noticeable that Unai Emery’s team was exhausted and unable to rival the intensity demonstrated by the hosts. Aston Villa had a hard time defending and conceded goals in the 87th and 90+3 minutes and failed to pick up a single point.
It’s still difficult for Aston Villa to regularly play two matches per week at high intensity in Premier League and Champions League encounters.
However, this week, Unai Emery’s team had the opportunity to rest due to their non-participation in the League Cup. As a result, Aston Villa will be fully prepared for their match against Manchester City.
The Villans are only two points behind the Citizens and have a chance to overtake the opponent, who is in a big crisis.
Emery’s team maintains a compact formation in the midfield while effectively executing quick counterattacks. This is thanks to Morgan Rogers’ speedy dribbling and Ollie Watkins’ ability to make runs behind the opponents’ defense.
| Recent Form | LWWWL |
| Key Players to Watch | Youri Tielemans, Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers |
| Team Strengths | Fast vertical attacks. |
| Team Weaknesses | Vulnerable flanks of the defence. |
| Key Injuries and suspensions | Jacob Ramsey (Thigh Injury) |
Manchester City have never faced such a crisis during the Sheikh era as they have since late October.
In the match against Manchester United, Man City players created a minimum number of dangerous moments near the opponents’ goal. They also made two gross defense errors at the end of the game and lost.
Before that, in the Champions League match against Juventus, Pep Guardiola’s team played quite well in attack. However, the team failed to score due to Erling Haaland’s poor finishing. They deservedly conceded two goals to the opponent.
Guardiola tries to rotate the lineup and adjust the game in the defensive phase, but he still insists on creating numerical superiority in the central area. In every match, his team focuses on attacking through the center, utilizing only one winger to provide width on one flank.
As a result, City’s attacks often become too narrow and predictable, which Manchester United exploited in the recent derby.
When facing Aston Villa away, the Cityzens will likely attempt to penetrate through the center again. They’ll make limited use of long diagonal passes from one flank to the other to stretch the opponent’s defense.
However, if they do this, Emery’s team are quite capable of stopping the opponent and scoring through flank counterattacks.
| Recent Form | LLDWL |
| Key Player to Watch | Erling Haaland |
| Team Strengths | Powerful squad, top coach. |
| Team Weaknesses | Vulnerable flanks of the defence. |
| Key Injuries and suspensions | Rodri (Knee Injury), Oscar Bobb (Calf/Shin/Heel Injury), Nathan Ake (Thigh Injury) |
Last season in Birmingham, Aston Villa defeated Manchester City 1-0, destroying their opponents by 22-2 in shots on goal. In that match, the Villans defended in an organized and intense manner, not allowing the opponent to enter the penalty area.
Something similar may happen in the next game between these teams. In previous years, City rarely had problems in matches with Aston Villa, steadily picking up three points.
This season, the total dominance of Man City in the Premier League has diminished. It’s entirely possible that the Villans will emerge victorious once again.
Bet hereErling Haaland started the season by scoring goals in nearly every match, demonstrating outstanding physical fitness. However, he’s only scored four goals in the last ten games, a significant drop in his performance.
Nevertheless, the Norwegian is still excellent in the penalty area and could start scoring goals at any moment, as he will have chances in every match.
Aston Villa will likely focus on overwhelming their opponents through aggressive pressing and quick vertical attacks.
For Manchester City, changing the system of play in positional attacks is important. Otherwise, they may struggle to challenge their rivals.
Manchester is currently focused on regaining its position in the Champions League zone. Guardiola’s team will undoubtedly be motivated to win the upcoming match, and as a result, according to 22bet.com, they are the favorites.
However, despite inconsistent Premier League results, Aston Villa have demonstrated strength this season. The team have lost only once and won four of eight matches.
On the other hand, City have lost three of their last four away games, including to Brighton and Bournemouth, which are not the top teams.
Based on this information, it’s reasonable to assume that the hosts will likely avoid defeat in this match.
Manchester have conceded two goals in seven consecutive matches since the end of October. This trend is largely due to repeated team and individual mistakes from the players.
Aston Villa have scored at least one goal in the last four matches. In this match on their field, they’ll have a strong chance to find the net against City.
Villa scored at least one goal in 9 of their 12 home matches, making it reasonable to expect they’ll also score at least once in this upcoming encounter.
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