With just one point separating the two teams in the league table, City sits in third place, slightly ahead of Villa in fourth after 14 matches. Aston Villa's four-game winning streak across all competitions came to an end as they secured a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth last weekend.
Despite twice falling behind, Villa managed to salvage a point with a 90th-minute equalizer from Ollie Watkins, his third goal in as many games and eighth in the league this season.
Despite the draw, Villa remains in the Champions League positions. However, a defeat against Man City on Wednesday could potentially drop them to sixth in the table if Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United, currently in fourth and fifth place, win their upcoming games on Thursday.
After two consecutive away league fixtures, Aston Villa looks forward to returning to Villa Park, where they've had an outstanding run, winning 17 of their last 18 home matches across all competitions. Their only setback was a 2-1 defeat to Everton in the EFL Cup in September.
While spirits are high within the Villa camp, their historical record against Man City is less favorable. Villa hasn't won any of their last 13 Premier League meetings with City since a 3-2 home win in September 2013. Moreover, they've won only one of their last 12 top-flight games played on a Wednesday.
Manchester City, on the other hand, is facing a rare three-game winless run in the Premier League after three successive draws against Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham Hotspur.
Despite leading in all three fixtures, they were held to a thrilling 3-3 draw at home against Spurs last weekend. Defensive vulnerabilities have cost City, conceding 10 goals in their last four matches across all competitions and keeping only five clean sheets in 21 competitive matches this season.
The encounter with Aston Villa on Wednesday is anticipated to be City's most challenging fixture for the remainder of 2023. However, they have enjoyed considerable success against Villa in recent years, winning 10 of their last 11 meetings by an aggregate score of 32-8.
City has scored at least once in 17 of their last 18 Premier League games against Villa, netting a total of 48 goals. Despite this, their last visit to Villa Park ended in a 1-1 draw in September last year, with Leon Bailey scoring the equalizer for the hosts.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Aston Villa is still dealing with the absence of three injured players - Bertrand Traore (muscle), Emiliano Buendia, and Tyrone Mings (both knee). However, Boubacar Kamara is back and available after serving a one-match ban last weekend.In the potential lineup adjustments, Kamara may replace Youri Tielemans and partner with former Man City player Douglas Luiz in the center-midfield. John McGinn is expected to continue on the left, with Leon Bailey hoping to maintain his spot on the right after scoring against Bournemouth.
Moussa Diaby, who played a key role in setting up Watkins's equalizer in the previous game, is looking to secure a spot in the starting lineup, possibly ahead of Bailey or Nicolo Zaniolo. Manager Unai Emery will also decide whether to stick with Ezri Konsa at right-back or bring back Matty Cash.
As for Manchester City, Rodri and former Villa player Jack Grealish are suspended due to yellow card accumulation. Jeremy Doku (leg) and Matheus Nunes (muscle) will undergo assessments before kickoff, and Kevin De Bruyne remains sidelined with a long-term hamstring injury.
With Rodri out, Mateo Kovacic could step into a deep-lying midfield role alongside Manuel Akanji. John Stones is back in contention and might return to the midfield. Rico Lewis, Bernardo Silva, and Kalvin Phillips are additional options for Pep Guardiola.
If Doku is unavailable, Phil Foden might shift to the left flank, with Bernardo operating on the right. Erling Haaland, who scored in the previous 1-1 draw at Villa Park, is expected to lead the attacking line, despite rumors of a potential FA charge following a social media post after the draw with Spurs.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Aston Villa possible starting lineup:Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Digne; Bailey, Kamara, Luiz, McGinn; Diaby, Watkins
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Walker, Dias, Ake; Akanji, Kovacic; Foden, Alvarez, Bernardo, Doku; Haaland
EXPERT PREDICTION
Aston Villa 2-2 Manchester City
Aston Villa, backed by their impressive home record, has reasons to be optimistic about securing a victory. However, Man City, with a strong history of success against Villa, is a team capable of disrupting their momentum. The visitors are determined to bounce back after a recent downturn in form and will approach the game with renewed vigor.
