Manchester City and Aston Villa both still have some work to do if they are to achieve their respective aims of a top-four finish and avoiding Premier League relegation.
The two managers will be in contrasting moods heading into the match at the Etihad Stadium, with Manuel Pellegrini fighting for his City future and Tim Sherwood riding on the crest of a wave at the FA Cup finalists.
Man City
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It has been a pretty disastrous two months by recent Man City standards and Pellegrini may yet pay for it with his job.
The Citizens have followed again bowing out of the Champions League before the quarter-final stage with the weak surrendering of their Premier League title. On current form, they could finish as far as 20 points back from Chelsea.
Last weekend's 2-0 victory over West Ham United did at least end their two-match losing streak and put them in a fairly comfortable position in regards to ensuring that they will be playing in the Champions League next term.
City hold a seven-point advantage over fifth-placed Liverpool, although the Reds have a game in hand and a top-four finish is unlikely to be enough to save Pellegrini should the club's hierarchy pursue outgoing Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp as speculated.
The Blues are on course to top one table; Sergio Aguero's goal against the Hammers took his league tally for the season to 20 and him level with Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane at the head of the division's scoring charts.
The Argentine's quiet spell in front of goal coincided with City falling off the pace in the championship race, and relieving the pressure on him with a couple of exciting summer additions will be a top priority of whoever is in charge at Eastlands when the transfer window reopens.
Recent form: WLWLLW
Recent form (all competitions): LLWLLW
Aston Villa
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The internet went crazy for Sherwood last weekend, with memes depicting him as anyone from the Wolf of Wall Street to The Messiah after he led Villa into the FA Cup semi-finals with a 2-1 win over Liverpool.
The 46-year-old has garnered many admirers since first gracing the Premier League with his managerial enthusiasm and honesty in December 2013, and he certainly has plenty of reasons to smile at present.
His side shocked the Reds at Wembley to reach their first FA Cup final in 15 years, just a week after he returned to Tottenham Hotspur to take three points off the club which he feels wronged him by sacking him last summer.
Spurs fans will forgive him should he inspire Villa to another cup shock against Arsenal in May's final, but Sherwood's immediate focus must be on steering his side clear of a relegation picture which is looking increasingly rosy for them.
The Midlanders are four points clear of safety with five games remaining, and in much better form than many of their rivals at the bottom end of the table, largely thanks to Christian Benteke's return of eight goals in six league matches.
Ahead of the trip to Manchester, Villa boast by far the best travelling record of the bottom six, having won five times on the road this season, including on two of their last three away fixtures, and this could be decisive in the survival battle.
Recent form: WWLLDW
Recent form (all competitions): WLLDWW
Team News
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City remain without captain Vincent Kompany, but David Silva has been passed fit despite leaving the pitch on a stretcher with a head injury suffered against West Ham.
Wilfried Bony's niggle means that Aguero may again operate as a lone striker, with Yaya Toure as his main support and Fernandinho in a deeper midfield position instead of Frank Lampard.
Gael Clichy, Samir Nasri, Stevan Jovetic and James Milner are also injury doubts for the hosts and therefore Aleksander Kolarov and Jesus Navas are probable starters.
Sherwood condemned Jack Grealish on Thursday after pictures were published showing him inhaling the very topical 'laughing gas'. The highly-rated youngster may pay for his behaviour with his place, particularly if Gabriel Agbonlahor is fit.
Midfielder Carlos Sanchez is back from suspension and Aly Cissokho in contention for a comeback, but Sherwood may stick with the rest of the team which finished the semi-final, with Jores Okore replacing Nathan Baker as he did when the defender went off injured in the first half.
Man City possible starting lineup:
Hart; Zabaleta, Demichelis, Mangala, Kolarov; Fernando, Fernandinho; Silva, Toure, Navas; Aguero
Aston Villa possible starting lineup:
Guzan; Bacuna, Okore, Vlaar, Richardson; Westwood, Delph, Cleverley; N'Zogbia, Sinclair, Benteke
Head To Head
Villa have lost on their last six league trips to Eastlands and also suffered a 2-0 defeat in October's reverse fixture.
However, it is not all doom and gloom. They beat the Citizens 3-2 in a thriller at Villa Park last season and in Manchester in the Capital One Cup the year before that.
There has not been a draw in the last 12 meetings between the two teams - since a 1-1 draw in 2009 from which Agbonlahor and Pablo Zabaleta are the only survivors.
We say: Man City 2-2 Aston Villa
The victory over West Ham did little to paper over the cracks in this City team, which lacks dynamism and excitement aside from Aguero and is vulnerable to pacey attacks. Villa provide much more of a goal threat under Sherwood and could pinch a point in a high-scoring affair.
Joe Fish
