Minute-by-minute text updates will begin in our Matchday Centre two hours before kick-off, whilst our Matchday Live show, will begin one hour before we get under way at Villa Park.
The Matchday Live team will reconvene for a half-time debrief before a more in-depth post-match verdict after the full-time whistle.
The guests will also answer viewer questions throughout the broadcast, with audience participation actively encouraged on Matchday Live. To get in touch, send a WhatsApp to: +447537186538.
During the game you can listen to live audio commentary from Alistair Mann while our text commentary continues.
Highlights from the match can be found later in the evening, while a full-match replay will also be available to CITY+ subscribers from midnight following the game.
It’s 4-3-3 for City at Villa Park, the formation which has formed the bedrock of our recent domination of English football.
Ederson is in goal, with his outstanding distribution a key facet in City’s build-up play. John Stones, who has been superb in our last two matches, starts alongside Ruben Dias at centre-half.
Kyle Walker will look to get forward from right-back at every possibility, as will Joao Cancelo down the left. Indeed, Cancelo’s outstanding ability going forward was in evidence on Wednesday when he scored a powerful long-range effort against Nottingham Forest.
Our midfield three has a little bit of everything. Rodri will play as a holding midfielder, protecting our back four. His ability to be in the right place at the right time continues to amaze.
And just ahead of him are Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan, two of the finest passers in the Premier League. They will pull the strings and look to provide chances for our forward three.
Erling Haaland will lead the line, fresh from two hat-tricks in the space of five days, with Phil Foden to his left and Bernardo Silva on the right.
Pep Guardiola preview
“It’s more dangerous now [to face Aston Villa]. I would prefer to play Villa in a good position. Always they are difficult but tomorrow is more difficult.
“The quality is there with the manager but the players!
“They have added [Leander] Dendoncker, [Jan Bednarek] from Southampton, two experienced players.
“I cannot imagine how tough it will be. I feel immediately after we finished the last game.”
PREVIOUS MEETING
Our last meeting with Aston Villa proved memorable for Manchester City fans as a 3-2 comeback win secured us our sixth Premier League title.
Matty Cash and Phil Coutinho put Steven Gerrard’s side ahead before goals from Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, and a winner from Ilkay Gundogan sent the Etihad Stadium into raptures as we saw Pep Guardiola‘s side lift the Premier League title once again.
LAST TIME OUT
Erling Haaland scored his second hat-trick in five days as City beat Nottingham Forest 6-0 in the Premier League.
The striker poked City ahead after 12 minutes, before doubling our lead 11 minutes later, tapping into an empty net after good link up play with Phil Foden to claim his eighth league goal of the season.
Seven minutes before the interval, the Norwegian completed his treble with a header from three yards out.
Pep Guardiola‘s side remained on the front foot after the break and added another through Joao Cancelo, whose thunderous strike from outside the box crashed into the top corner. Julian Alvarez added a fifth and then the Argentine powered in his second and City’s sixth of the evening shortly before full-time, blasting into the roof of the net with his left foot.
As for Villa, they fell to a 2-1 defeat at the Emirates Stadium in midweek.
FORM GUIDE
City have won four and drawn once from the opening five Premier League matches and sit in second place in the table, whilst Aston Villa have just one win this season and sit in the bottom three.
Pep Guardiola says City had to enter the transfer market for Manuel Akanji to get through the intensive schedule before the winter World Cup.
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Aston Villa v City: Ticket Information
The Club has received an allocation of 2961 tickets, including 7 wheelchair bays and a number of tickets for ambulant supporters.
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