Aston Villa vs Manchester City predictions: Goal-filled thriller likely at Villa Park
Ian Wilkerson
Aston Villa have won five and drawn one of their last six matches
Manchester City have won their opening seven Premier League games
Erling Haaland is the division’s top scorer with eight goals this term
Manchester City have been able to put their off-the-field problems to one side by winning their opening seven Premier League games of the season, but on Saturday they travel to a resurgent Aston Villa, who are looking to make up for lost time.
The Europa League winners got off to a poor start but they have steadied the ship and will hope to claim their first home league win of the season against the early pacesetters.
The latest Aston Villa vs Manchester City odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Key Stats
Both teams have scored in nine of the last 11 league meetings
Manchester City have won five of their last seven away games
Erling Haaland leads the Premier League goalscoring charts with eight
No team outside the bottom five has scored fewer Premier League goals than Villa this season
Five of the last seven meetings have featured at least three goals
Nicolas Jackson has had nine shots on target in his last four appearances for Villa
Recommended Bets
Bet Builder
Over 3.5 goals
Erling Haaland to score at any time
Nicolas Jackson to have over 1.5 shots on target
Score prediction
Team News
Modou Keba Cisse and Johan Manzambi face late tests for Aston Villa, but Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Matteo Ruggeri and Amadou Onana are all unavailable.
Hopes are high that Matheus Nunes, Nico O’Reilly and Mateo Kovacic will all be fit for Manchester City, but Antoine Semenyo has been ruled out.
Need to know
The joy of winning the Europa League did not last long for Aston Villa as they saw plenty of their heroes leave in the summer and it took time for Unai Emery’s side to adjust.
However, they have won five of their last six games, including impressive Champions League victories over Fenerbahce and Viking, so there will be high hopes that they have turned the corner.
Manchester City provide a strong test as they have won all seven of their league matches this term, scoring 19 times in the process, and the home side will have to keep an eye on Erling Haaland, who has 17 league and cup goals this term.
Prediction
Manchester City’s transition to life under Enzo Maresca has been smooth following Pep Guardiola’s departure as manager and the fact they have scored 23 goals in their last six matches points to an entertaining affair at Villa Park, especially as the home side have notched 10 times in their last three.
It is almost impossible to ignore Erling Haaland in the anytime-goalscorer market as he has netted at least once in his last seven games for the Citizens, while Nicolas Jackson is making a strong impression up front for Villa.
The Senegal striker has had nine shots on target in his last four appearances for Emery’s side and can test the City goalkeeper at least twice in Saturday’s showdown.
