Aston Villa vs Manchester City preview

Team news, key stats and prediction ahead of Aston Villa vs Manchester City in the Premier League.

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• Charlie Nicholas' Premier League predictions
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Team news

Danny Drinkwater could make his Aston Villa debut when they host Manchester City on Sunday. The midfielder joined on loan from Chelsea this week and is available to face the champions. Matt Targett (hamstring) is also back but Jonathan Kodjia (illness) is likely to miss out.

Keinan Davis (hamstring) is sidelined along with Tom Heaton and Wesley, who both had surgery on season-ending knee injuries this week, as well as John McGinn (fractured ankle) and Jed Steer (Achilles).

Kevin De Bruyne has been given the all-clear for Manchester City trip to Villa Park. The Belgium playmaker left the field after suffering a nasty blow in the closing stages of City's Carabao Cup victory at Manchester United in midweek.

Goalkeeper Ederson is likely to return after four games out due to a combination of rotation, illness and suspension. Defender Aymeric Laporte and winger Leroy Sane (both knee) are still out but both are back in training.

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How to follow

Aston Villa vs Manchester City is live on Super Sunday from 4pm; kick-off 4.30pm. Sky Sports customers can watch in-game clips in the live match blog on the Sky Sports website and app. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.

• How to watch Premier League highlights
• Live football on Sky Sports this week

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Opta stats

• Aston Villa have lost nine of their last 11 Premier League meetings with Manchester City, winning 3-2 in September 2013 and drawing 0-0 in November 2015.
• Manchester City have kept a clean sheet in eight of their last 10 Premier League meetings with Aston Villa, including each of the last three. Indeed, they've won their last two league games against the Villans by an aggregate score of 7-0.
• Aston Villa have picked up six points in their last three Premier League games (W2 D0 L1), two more than in their previous nine games in the competition (W1 D1 L7). Villa have won only three of their 49 Premier League matches against the reigning champions (D14 L32), losing each of their last 11 in a row.
• Under Pep Guardiola, Man City have lost three of their four Premier League away games in January, winning only against Huddersfield last year (3-0).
• Manchester City have been trailing for five hours and seven minutes in the Premier League this season - 22 minutes more than they had in their previous two campaigns combined (four hours, 45 minutes).
• Manchester City have conceded 14 goals in their 10 away league games this season, three more than they did in 19 games on the road last term. They've conceded 3+ goals in three different away league games this season, as many as they had in their first three seasons under Pep Guardiola combined.
• Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has scored six goals in his last four Premier League starts against Aston Villa. Since the start of the 2011-12 season, no player has more Premier League goals against newly-promoted teams than Aguero (31); the Argentinian has 174 goals in total in the competition, one behind Thierry Henry on 175, who is the top-scoring non-English player in Premier League history.

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Charlie Nicholas' prediction

I don't see any real issues for Manchester City in this one. They were strong at Old Trafford, and that was without Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero in the starting line-up. The only issue I have, I am not saying he is playing badly, is with Raheem Sterling, and he seems a little out of sorts with his touch.

Just watching him, he could have had a hat-trick against Man Utd. Someone is going to take a thumping and get hurt soon, and I have a feeling it is going to be this weekend for Aston Villa. They may be back in the groove - Aymeric Laporte is back in training and Aguero is fit and ready, so they are starting to look like they will kick on.

We are into the New Year now and City will want to close the gap as well as progressing in the Champions League. Kevin De Bruyne has been up there with Sadio Mane this campaign. What a player he has been. I think Villa be on the wrong end of a hiding.

CHARLIE PREDICTS: 0-5 (16/1 with Sky Bet)

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