Aston Villa face a major test of their recent form when they host Premier League leaders Manchester City at Villa Park on Saturday. Unai Emery's side, currently 12th in the league table with eight points, will aim to extend a three-match winning run against the only team yet to drop a point this season.
Villa's home resilience will be key, having avoided defeat in their last three matches at Villa Park. Their overall form is strong, with just one loss in their last nine outings across all competitions. The 3-1 victory over Viking on Monday, with goals from Ross Barkley and Emiliano Buendía, continued a sequence where the side has scored in eight consecutive games. New signings Johan Manzambi and goalkeeper Zion Suzuki have been standout performers, with Manzambi scoring the winner at Newcastle last week.
Manchester City, however, present a formidable challenge. Under Enzo Maresca, they have won all seven of their league matches to sit top with 21 points, 13 clear of Villa. They are on a run of four consecutive away wins and have scored in 11 straight matches, with Erling Haaland netting eight times this season. Phil Foden is also in sharp form, scoring four goals in his last two appearances.
Head-to-head and team news
Recent history between the clubs has been tight, with three of the last four meetings decided by a single goal. Villa won the most recent encounter 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium in May. In the overall series of 185 meetings, City lead with 82 wins to Villa's 61.
Villa's preparations are hampered by several absences. Amadou Onana, Matteo Ruggeri and Ian Maatsen are ruled out with knee, thigh and ankle injuries respectively. Aaron Wan-Bissaka is among a group of players considered doubts for the match. City have a concern over Haaland's fitness after he was substituted early in their last league game. Both sides' full injury list will be assessed ahead of the weekend.
Despite the challenge, Villa's recent performances provide a platform. The team has taken eight points from seven league games, a record they will look to improve starting Saturday. Kick-off at Villa Park is scheduled for 12:30pm local time on 24 October, with the next fixture for both clubs following in midweek.
