All eyes turn to Villa Park as Aston Villa hosts Manchester City this Saturday evening. The Villains, as Aston Villa is popularly known, are currently sitting in seventh place in the Premier League table. They are facing a slightly lackluster Manchester City team that has slipped from first place last season to fifth position currently.
Below, we give you team previews, odds, and head-to-head stats for the Aston Villa vs Manchester City match.
Key Details
- Date: Saturday, 21 December, 2024
- Kick-off: 18:00 (UK)
- Venue: Villa Park, Birmingham
- Where to Watch: TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate
Aston Villa: Analysis and Team Preview
Aston Villa finished fourth in the English Premier League last season. This season, they’ve slipped in the rankings as they’ve lost a few games from winning positions – the 1–2 collapse at Nottingham Forest being the most recent example.
Big names like forward Moussa Diaby (sold to Al-Ittihad) and midfielder Douglas Luiz (sold to Juventus) are missing this season. Luiz had a great partnership with fellow midfielder Boubacar Kamara last season, and the duo scored maximum points for the Villains. This season, the new partnership is between Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans. However, their game is less aggressive. Onana has scored two goals in 16 matches, while Tielemans has yet to open his account.
Meanwhile, strikers Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran have filled the gap left by Diaby. Watkins has scored seven goals, while Duran has found the net six times. Currently, Watkins and another striker Leon Bailey are nursing injuries and are doubtful for the Manchester City match. Midfielder Jacob Ramsey (hamstring injury), and centre-back Kortney Hause (knee injuries) will also be missing from Saturday’s match. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez has injured his wrist and will not return before January.
Manchester City: Analysis and Team Preview
Manchester City had a shaky start to the season, losing five consecutive matches in November. Moreover, they’ve conceded 23 goals in 16 Premier League matches – 1.4 goals per match. City are surely missing Rodri this season, who has been ruled out due to a crucial ligament rupture. The star midfielder, and the winner of the Ballon d’Or, was instrumental in City’s Premier League win last season.
The team is feeling the heat of several injuries this season. Centre-backs Manuel Akanji and Nathan Aké, and right-winger Oscar Bobb are likely to miss out on all matches in December due to injuries.
Clearly, Manchester City is out of form as they have lost to lower-ranked teams like Tottenham, Manchester United, and Brighton. So, beating Aston Villa will surely be a morale booster for City fans.
Premier League Season Highlights
| Aston Villa | Stats | Manchester City |
| 7 | League position | 5 |
| 7 | Matches Won | 8 |
| 4 | Drawn | 3 |
| 5 | Lost | 5 |
| 25 | Total points | 27 |
| 24 | Goals scored | 28 |
| 25 | Goals conceded | 23 |
| -1 | Goal difference | 5 |
| 150 | Shots | 197 |
| 69 | Shots on target | 95 |
| 81 | Shots off target | 102 |
| 59 | Blocked shots | 85 |
| 85.81% | Passing accuracy | 90.19% |
Manchester City and Aston Villa: Recent Results
Aston Villa
- Lost to Nottingham Forest 1-2 (14th December)
- Won against Southampton 1-0 (7th December)
- Won against Brentford 3-1 (4th December)
- Lost to Chelsea 0-1 (1st December)
- Draw with Crystal Palace 2-2 (23rd November)
Manchester City
- Draw with Manchester United 2-2 (15th December)
- Draw with Crystal Palace 2-2 (7th December)
- Won against Nottingham Forest 3-0 (4th December)
- Lost to Liverpool 0-2 (1st December)
- Lost to Tottenham Hotspur 0-4 (23rd November)
Aston Villa vs Manchester City: Recent Head-to-Head Meetings
| Date | Result |
| 3/04/24 | Aston Villa 1–4 Manchester City |
| 06/12/23 | Aston Villa 1–0 Manchester City |
| 12/02/23 | Aston Villa 1–3 Manchester City |
| 03/09/22 | Aston Villa 1–1 Manchester City |
| 22/05/22 | Aston Villa 2–3 Manchester City |
Both teams have faced each other 48 times. Manchester City has won 30 games while Aston Villa has won 8. The record between these teams suggests we’re in for an entertaining encounter. While, historically, City has maintained the upper hand, Aston Villa is now a strong team – so punters should be prepared for a close match.
Statistical Insights
- Manchester City are averaging 1.75 goals per game this season
- Villa are maintaining a 1.5 goals-per-match average
- City have kept 3 clean sheets, while Villa have managed 2
Premier League | Aston Villa vs Manchester City Odds
Here are the betting odds for the fixture as per 7bet.
| Manchester City (1) | x | Aston Villa (2) |
| 2/11 | 6/1 | 12/1 |
Please note that the odds are accurate as per the publishing time of the article. Make sure to check the latest odds before placing a bet.
Both teams are charged up to take on each other on Saturday. If you are not sure who to back in a 1X2 bet, there are several more markets that you can consider, such as both teams to score (BTTS), total goals in the game, whether the final score will be an odd or even number, and so on. For quick betting, opt for fast markets, such as predicting which players will score or what the halftime score will be. You’ll find helpful insights and the opportunity to use our Bet Builder to create your personalized bet from scratch for each match.
For more information about betting on this fixture, visit the 7bet Premier League betting page.
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