Who: Aston Villa vs Manchester Metropolis
What: English Premier League
The place: Villa Park, Birmingham, United Kingdom
When: 12:30pm (12:30 GMT) on Saturday
Comply with Al Jazeera’s dwell textual content and photograph build-up and commentary stream.
Manchester Metropolis won’t search to handle their present disaster of kind with new recruits in January, in accordance with supervisor Pep Guardiola.
4-time defending Premier League champions Metropolis have misplaced eight and gained simply one among their final 11 video games in all competitions.
Final season’s shock package deal Aston Villa now await at Villa Park on Saturday though each golf equipment have underperformed this season. Guardiola mentioned he gained’t, nonetheless, search to rebuild his squad within the January switch window when requested about whether or not the present squad can flip issues round.
“I don’t know. That can be on the finish of the season. On the finish of the season, we are going to see the state of affairs,” Guardiola informed reporters on Friday. “What I need is my gamers again [from injury]. My feeling is the squad is absolutely good. It isn’t if they’re good or unhealthy gamers.
“We misplaced two essential figures for some time. We wish gamers again, after which after what occurs within the winter and what occurs on the finish of the season, the membership and myself will determine what’s greatest for the staff.”
Metropolis’s troubled season was dealt one other blow this week with affirmation that defender Ruben Dias can be out for as much as 4 weeks due to a muscle damage.
Guardiola has cited accidents to key gamers similar to Rodri as a think about his staff’s troubles, and the lack of Dias compounds his issues with the Metropolis supervisor including Dias’s damage occurred throughout Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United.
“After 75 minutes towards United, he felt one thing. He’s sturdy and needed to remain on the pitch, however now he’s injured,” Guardiola mentioned.
Metropolis’s worrying run has damaged from 5 straight defeats to 1 win and three defeats in six, topped up by Manchester United’s turnaround within the derby win at Etihad Stadium. Guardiola, who signed a two-year contract extension in November, admits that the run has been tough to dwell with, even for a supervisor of his stature.
“I simply completed a recreation the place we have been near successful and we misplaced. For the sequences that occurred, I used to be not joyful,” the Spaniard mentioned. “I attempted to be sincere with myself right here proper now, in six or seven days in the past. If you happen to fall down six occasions, it’s a must to rise up seven.
“I’m superb. I’m a traditional particular person with emotions like all of us. When a state of affairs goes properly, we’re higher, and when it’s not going properly professionally, we’re extra [focused] on what we’ve got to do.”
Villa completed fourth within the league final season to safe Champions League qualification. This marketing campaign has proved to be tougher for Unai Emery’s staff to navigate.
The Villains are seventh within the desk however a win on Saturday would see them climb above Metropolis in fifth and doubtlessly take fourth spot ought to they win by three clear objectives.
That spot would have been claimed of their final match on Monday however for a defeat at Nottingham Forest, who themselves claimed into the prized fourth Champions League qualifying spot.
It did come off the again of a three-game successful streak that noticed Villa begin to recreate their type of final season, and Emery stays in buoyant spirits regardless of the daunting job of dealing with the wounded champions.
“After all, it’s a really powerful match and a really thrilling match for us,” the previous Arsenal supervisor mentioned. “The motivation, taking part in Manchester Metropolis at residence for our supporters as properly, goes to be nice.
“We’re going to face all the pieces with our help at Villa Park. My evaluation now could be maintain going. We’re within the league attempting to get higher and naturally accepting all the pieces we’re doing, all the time attempting to enhance.
“[City] is an excellent check, and one other competitors, Champions League, is coming, FA Cup. The evaluation now for me is simply fascinated with this match.”
Who’re the massive winners from Matchweek 16? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/EUJZMZfpLm
— Premier League (@premierleague) December 17, 2024
Aston Villa staff information
Tyrone Mings and Leon Bailey are each within the squad to face Metropolis. Jacob Ramsey is “progressing properly however not prepared but to be accessible”, in accordance with Emery.
Man Metropolis staff information
Dias has joined Metropolis’s damage checklist with a muscle drawback. Midfielder Rodri stays a long-term absentee whereas goalkeeper Ederson can be a doubt.
John Stones, Mateo Kovacic and Manuel Akanji may all return whereas Rico Lewis is again from a suspension.
Head-to-head
That is the 182nd assembly between the golf equipment with Metropolis successful 81 of the conferences and Villa claiming the spoils on 58 events.
Metropolis won the last meeting 4-1 at Etihad Stadium in April, however Villa have been 1-0 winners in this same fixture at Villa Park in December final 12 months with Leon Bailey scoring the one objective with 16 minutes to play.
Villa hadn’t gained in 15 conferences with Metropolis earlier than that – of which the Cityzens gained 13.
