A Villa Aston Villa

Man City Manchester City

WHEN AND WHERE

We will head to Villa Park on Saturday 3 September, with the match kicking off at 17:30 (UK).

The match will be broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League. 

Supporters living around the world can find out how they can tune in via our global TV listings, courtesy of livesoccertv.com.

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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.

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TEAMS

Aston Villa

Starting XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, McGinn, Kamara, Douglas Luiz, J. Ramsey, Watkins, Bailey

Subs: Olsen, Chambers, Bednarek, Augustinsson, Young, Coutinho, Buendia, Archer, Ings

City

Starting XI: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Dias, Cancelo, Rodri, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Foden, Haaland

Subs: Ortega Moreno, Ake, Grealish, Alvarez, Gomez, Mahrez, Palmer, Lewis, Wilson-Esbrand

TACTICS

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. 

WATCH: City 3-2 Aston Villa: Brief highlights

LAST TIME OUT

WATCH: City 6-0 Forest: Brief highlights

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.

GLOBAL TV LISTINGS 

Courtesy of livesoccertv.com.