City make six changes for trip to Aston Villa

Men's Team

Ortega: There will be a turnaround soon

Stefan Ortega, Rico Lewis, John Stones, Manuel Akanji, Mateo Kovacic and Jack Gealish all come into Pep Guardiola‘s starting XI from the side that began last weekend’s Manchester derby.

Lewis returns from suspension while Stones and Akanji have both recovered from injury to take their place in the starting line-up.

Kyle Walker, Jeremy Doku and Kevin De Bruyne revert to the bench with Nathan Ake also named amongst the substitutes after making his own recovery from injury.

Ruben Dias, Ederson and Mathues Nunes all miss out today through injury.

Rodri and Oscar Bobb are also unavailable as they continue their recovery from long-term injuries.

Teams 

ASTON VILLA XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Pau, Digne, Kamara, Onana, Tielemans, McGinn (C), Rogers, Duran

Subs: Olsen, Mings, Nedeljkovic, Bogarde, Maatsen, Barkley, Buendia, Bailey, Watkins

CITY XI: Ortega, Lewis, Stones, Akanji, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Gundogan, Bernardo (C), Foden, Grealish, Haaland

Subs: Carson, Walker, Ake, Doku, De Bruyne, Savinho, Simpson-Pusey, O’Reilly, McAtee

Features

City players and CITC visit the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital

Tactics and formation

Stefan Ortega returns to start in goal and the German is set to be shielded by a back four of Lewis, Stones, Akanji and Gvardiol.

Kovacic and Ilkay Gundogan are likely to provide the midfield defensive shield with Phil Foden also potentially deployed in a more central creative role.

Skipper Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish could provide the attacking width with Erling Haaland operating as the central attacking focal point.

However, as always with City, such is our tactical and positional flexibility that could be subject to change!

Festive lift-off?

Today marks the start of football’s festive programme with City facing a key quartet of Premier League assignments over the next fortnight as we seek to bounce back to form after a tough series of recent results.

After today’s clash at Villa Park, we are next in action on Boxing Day when we play host to Everton in what is another 12.30pm (UK) kick-off.

That’s then followed by another road trip on Sunday, December 29, to Leicester City with the King Power Stadium action getting underway at 14.30pm (UK).

City then usher 2025 in with a home fixture against West Ham United on Saturday, January 4, kick-off 15.00pm (UK).

It’s an intensive schedule with not let-up on the demands for the squad.

But a positive series of results would help give Pep Guardiola’s squad the perfect boost going into the New Year.

Men's Team

Injuries are more significant at this time of year - Pep

Villa omen?

City will step out in the Midlands on the back what is a fine record against today’s opponents.

Though Villa are armed with a proud history and formidable squad, City have amassed a superb record of achievement against the men in Claret and Blue since the inception of the Premier League.

Only against Newcastle have City won more Premier League games (31) and scored more Premier League goals (102) than we have chalked up against Aston Villa (30 wins, 98 goals).

Here’s hoping that fine run is extended this afternoon.

Stats and facts

 ●Villa won this exact fixture 1-0 last season but haven’t won consecutive home league meetings with City since April 1993.

● Only against Newcastle have City won more Premier League games (31) and scored more Premier League goals (102) than they have against Aston Villa (30 wins, 98 goals).

● Although overall Aston Villa have lost four of their last seven Premier League games (W2 D1), they’re unbeaten in each of their last seven at Villa Park (W4 D3). They’re looking to win three in a row at home for the first time since a run of 15 between March and December 2023.

● City have lost five of our last seven Premier League games (W1 D1), as many as we had in our previous 67 combined (W51 D11). We last lost more in a single league campaign in 2020-21 (6).

● City have lost eight of our last 11 games in all competitions (W1 D2), as many as they had in our previous 106 combined (W78 D20). We last lost more in a single campaign in 2019-20 (12).

● Aston Villa have conceded 25 goals in the Premier League this season, from an xG against of 19.5, shipping around five more goals than would be expected (5.5). Only Wolves (40 goals conceded, 27.6 xGA) have a worse such record this term (-12.4).

● City have had more shots than any other side in the Premier League this season (282). However, our shot conversion rate is 9.9%, our lowest in a single campaign since 2006-07 (6.4%).

● Phil Foden has had more shots without scoring than any other player in the Premier League this season (24). Meanwhile, teammate Savinho has accumulated the highest xG of any player yet to score (2.1).