Seeking a way out of their mid-season malaise, Premier League champions Manchester City will try to revive their ailing title defence on Saturday, when they visit Aston Villa.
Following last week's dramatic derby defeat, City have lost five of their last seven league games; meanwhile, Villa's recent revival was halted by a late collapse last time out.
Match preview
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After starting the day level on points with Nottingham Forest in the Premier League table, Aston Villa were on course to pull clear of their Midlands rivals and move into the top four with just minutes remaining at the City Ground.
However, two quick strikes from Forest then rendered Jhon Duran's opener and an Emi Martinez wonder-save meaningless, as the Villans let victory slip from their grasp.
Unai Emery's men had previously rallied by winning three consecutive matches - against Brentford and Southampton, then RB Leipzig in the Champions League - but that setback means they have now lost four of their last seven league fixtures.
After a groundbreaking 2023-24 campaign, fighting on two fronts has proved a stern test of squad depth, and the Birmingham club have also suffered four straight top-flight defeats on the road.
Nonetheless, they are unbeaten in each of their last seven Premier League games at Villa Park and currently occupy seventh spot, so they can even overtake Manchester City with a home win this weekend.
En route to upsetting the established order by finishing fourth, Villa laid down a marker by beating City 1-0 in Aston this time last year, and they will now aim to do so in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1993.
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Like their hosts, Man City were undone during the final throes of their most recent outing, and perhaps in even more jaw-dropping fashion, having thrown away a one-goal lead in the dying embers of last week's local derby.
More costly errors allowed Manchester United to steal away from the Etihad with maximum points, as Amad Diallo's skilfully taken 90th-minute winner consigned Pep Guardiola's side to an agonising 2-1 defeat - they have now lost eight of their last 11 matches.
Further betraying their weaknesses, City have now lost two of the last three Premier League games in which they had a half-time lead - as many as throughout the previous 102 - and that trend has carried over to Europe, where they trail Villa by five points in the Champions League standings.
Added to concerns about an ageing midfield and injury-hit defence, profligacy has played its part in such an unexpected demise, as they have had more shots than any other side in England's top flight this season but have a conversion rate of just 9.9% - their lowest since the 2006-07 campaign.
A star of last season's successes, Phil Foden has taken more attempts without scoring than any other player in the Premier League this term, while makeshift left-back Josko Gvardiol is the club's second-top scorer behind Erling Haaland, who has also performed below his stellar best.
As a result, City sit fifth, nine points adrift of leaders Liverpool having played one game more, so they can hardly afford any more slip-ups if they are to spark a trademark surge and return to the title race.
Team News
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Having impressed while deputising for Ollie Watkins, who has been hampered by a minor injury, Jhon Duran will hope to keep his place at the apex of Aston Villa's attack on Saturday.
Watkins is the hosts' leading league scorer with seven goals, but Duran moved on to six by finding the net against Nottingham Forest, and Unai Emery has been reluctant to pair the two together.
Leon Bailey may be back in action following a hamstring problem, and Tyrone Mings is available after withdrawing just before kickoff at the City ground due to illness, but Jacob Ramsey is still sidelined.
Meanwhile, Manchester City's injury list has shortened somewhat over the past fortnight, with Mateo Kovacic and John Stones back on the bench for last week's derby debacle.
Long-term absentees Rodri and Oscar Bobb and have been joined by Nathan Ake in the treatment room, but Manuel Akanji could overcome a pelvis problem in time to play, while versatile full-back Rico Lewis returns from suspension.
Jack Grealish will head back to his boyhood club in hope of selection, but Belgian winger Jeremy Doku is ahead of him in Pep Guardiola's pecking order as things stand.
Aston Villa possible starting lineup:
Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans; Cash, Rogers, McGinn; Watkins
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Walker, Dias, Gvardiol, Lewis; Kovacic; Silva, De Bruyne, Foden, Doku; Haaland
We say: Aston Villa 1-1 Manchester City
While City have wobbled, Villa are still vulnerable, so both sides would probably settle for a draw - even if neither manager would admit it.
The hosts are harder to beat on home turf and rarely fail to score, so they can extend the champions' long wait for an away win.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
