Evening Standard
·20 dicembre 2024
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Yahoo sportsEvening Standard
·20 dicembre 2024
Champions hoping for defensive boost ahead of Villa Park showdown
Manchester City are looking to get back to winning ways when they travel to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.
They will, however, be without Ruben Dias after the defender suffered a muscle injury expected to rule him out for up to a month of action.
John Stones and Manuel Akanji are back in training but it remains to be seen if they are fit to feature. Rico Lewis is back from suspension.
Pep Guardiola’s champions now sit fifth in the table after a miserable run of result to have seen them win only one of their last 11 games.
Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United was perhaps the worst yet, with Guardiola’s side throwing a late led away at home against their biggest rivals.
They now head to Villa Park on Saturday lunchtime in dire need of an upturn performances, albeit one that does not look likely given recent results.
Nathan Ake, Oscar Bobb and Rodri, however, are all set to miss out.
Man City predicted XI vs Aston Villa: Ortega; Lewis, Akanji, Stones, Gvardiol; Kovacic, De Bruyne, Foden; Savinho, Haaland, Doku
Injured: Bobb, Rodri, Ake, DIas
Time and date: 12.30pm GMT on Saturday 21 December 2024
TV channel and live stream: TNT Sports