Wednesday 20th January
Manchester City v
Aston Villa
Kickoff: 6:00pm (UK)
Etihad Stadium, Manchester, UK
Live TV: BT Sport (UK)
Referee: Jonathan Moss
Assistants: Harry Lennard, Dan Robathan
Fourth Official: David Coote
VAR: Andy Madley
Assistant VAR: Simon Beck
Premier League Stats
We have a pretty decent record against them in the Premier League era ... even going back to pre-takeover days. Since their latest return to the top flight and while Pep has been in charge of us we have totally dominated them with the last meeting being that famous 1-6 at Villa Park (their single goal coming in the injury time courtesy of a penalty). Going back a little further, the last time they visited Etihad in the league was also a comfortable 3-0 win for us.
And of course in between these two league meetings was our third successive League Cup win in the Final against them.
While we are the in-form team in the league right now (just look at those 5 green Ws) , they have been the surprise of the season so far ... having narrowly survived relegation last season, they have well and truly kicked on this season. The 7-2 thrashing of the Scousers is all you need to know how their season is going. They are sitting comfortably in the top ten of the league table and will probably finish there as well.
Pre-Match Thoughts
This is the week where we were supposed to have our winter break and have the mid-week free but this is when we are playing Villa in the rearranged fixture for what would have been our season opener back in September. Would have been much more confident against them if this was the first game of the season but now having seen them so far, they are much improved and the form team of this season.
However, having been hit with Covid recently this'll be their first game back in quite some time. Their last outing was a loss to Liverpool on 8th January (where their kids played) in the FA Cup. The last tie their first team actually played was way back on the 1st of January. We on the other hand since then have played five games and this has been a rather very busy January for us.
No idea if we'd be tired and they'd be fresh or we'd be in a rhythm and they'd be rusty ... it could go either way ... but I'm backing our form and new found grit to come through ... whichever of the two patterns emerge in the game.
This already rescheduled fixture has been rescheduled again and now it's at an earlier kick-off time of 6pm (as opposed to original reschedule of 8:15pm) so don't get caught out by looking up a source that hasn't updated the kick-off time.
Match Prediction
Another clean sheet ... and a repeat of last league meeting at the Etihad: 3-0 to City!
Win this and it'll be our 9th win in a row in all competitions. Onwards and upwards ... we have already gone top of the goal difference column tonight ... win this one and we're top on points too (right after our game at least and till others play)!
Manchester City v
Aston Villa
Kickoff: 6:00pm (UK)
Etihad Stadium, Manchester, UK
Live TV: BT Sport (UK)
Referee: Jonathan Moss
Assistants: Harry Lennard, Dan Robathan
Fourth Official: David Coote
VAR: Andy Madley
Assistant VAR: Simon Beck
Premier League Stats
We have a pretty decent record against them in the Premier League era ... even going back to pre-takeover days. Since their latest return to the top flight and while Pep has been in charge of us we have totally dominated them with the last meeting being that famous 1-6 at Villa Park (their single goal coming in the injury time courtesy of a penalty). Going back a little further, the last time they visited Etihad in the league was also a comfortable 3-0 win for us.
And of course in between these two league meetings was our third successive League Cup win in the Final against them.
While we are the in-form team in the league right now (just look at those 5 green Ws) , they have been the surprise of the season so far ... having narrowly survived relegation last season, they have well and truly kicked on this season. The 7-2 thrashing of the Scousers is all you need to know how their season is going. They are sitting comfortably in the top ten of the league table and will probably finish there as well.
Pre-Match Thoughts
This is the week where we were supposed to have our winter break and have the mid-week free but this is when we are playing Villa in the rearranged fixture for what would have been our season opener back in September. Would have been much more confident against them if this was the first game of the season but now having seen them so far, they are much improved and the form team of this season.
However, having been hit with Covid recently this'll be their first game back in quite some time. Their last outing was a loss to Liverpool on 8th January (where their kids played) in the FA Cup. The last tie their first team actually played was way back on the 1st of January. We on the other hand since then have played five games and this has been a rather very busy January for us.
No idea if we'd be tired and they'd be fresh or we'd be in a rhythm and they'd be rusty ... it could go either way ... but I'm backing our form and new found grit to come through ... whichever of the two patterns emerge in the game.
This already rescheduled fixture has been rescheduled again and now it's at an earlier kick-off time of 6pm (as opposed to original reschedule of 8:15pm) so don't get caught out by looking up a source that hasn't updated the kick-off time.
Match Prediction
Another clean sheet ... and a repeat of last league meeting at the Etihad: 3-0 to City!
Win this and it'll be our 9th win in a row in all competitions. Onwards and upwards ... we have already gone top of the goal difference column tonight ... win this one and we're top on points too (right after our game at least and till others play)!