Manchester City Vs Aston Villa
Manchester City Vs Aston Villa Wednesday 20th January 2021 – 18:00 (kick-off)
English Premier League
Pick: Both Teams to Score
Odds: 19/20
Bookmaker: Betway
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 18th January 2021)
Preview: A third successive meeting away at one of 2019/20’s top-four for Aston Villa who, after a lengthy period in self-isolation, mark their return to Premier League action with a daunting trip to Etihad Stadium. A win for the hosts, Man City, will see them return to the top of the table.
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Table of Contents
Manchester City – Faultless defence integral to title resurgence?
A double from defender John Stones, netting his first Premier League goals since 2015 while still an Everton player, along with sumptuous long range efforts from Ilkay Gundogan and Raheem Sterling saw Man City (W10 D5 L2) ease to a 4-0 success at home to Crystal Palace in their latest league outing. Becoming the first top-flight team this season to register five consecutive league victories as they close in on top spot.
Remarkably, City have conceded only twice across their now nine-game unbeaten league run (W7 D2), a run which emerged on the back of a damaging 2-0 defeat away to Tottenham in mid-November that left them in 13th. Now, boasting more Premier League clean sheets after 17 games (9) than the club ever has at this stage, they have the opportunity to reach the summit ahead of Man Utd’s fixture at Fulham.
Unsurprisingly, the vast majority of their wins this season (8 of 10) were to nil, including all six accrued at the Etihad, with second-bottom West Brom the last visiting team to score on 15 December. The Citizens have since kept three clean sheets in a row at home and another could very well be in the offing, facing an opponent they have beaten to nil in four of the past five meetings here in Manchester.
Aston Villa – Grealish & Co. can flex their well-rested muscles?
Last seen in Premier League action on New Year’s day when succumbing 2-1 at Old Trafford to the other Manchester outfit, will Dean Smith’s Aston Villa (W8 D2 L5) be fresher for their 19-day lay-off or is there the potential for ring rust? Either way they face a daunting task in just their second league outing of 2020, trying to puncture an impenetrable Man City seeking a sixth straight victory in the competition.
If only to make matters worse, their record in this fixture is miserable. Since a 2-0 victory in Manchester in 2007, Villa have all lost all ten subsequent away encounters against Man City, netting only four times. However, their record away from home this season is among the very best, registering five wins – all to nil – and two defeats in eight such outings having netted 100 per cent of the time in these fixtures.
On this basis, Aston Villa boast the necessary credentials – a strong and robust backline complemented by quick, agile forwards – to pose the Premier League’s most in-form side a problem or two. As they did for Chelsea and Man Utd either side of January, earning a deserved 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge with the latter while also running the latter close in defeat at Old Trafford. Team news, however, could be critical.
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Manchester City Vs Aston Villa Betting Advice
The best which makes the most appeal is perhaps the most obvious: Man City to win to nil (23/20 BetVictor). All six league wins here at the Eithad seen them keep the opposition at bay, while they have conceded only twice in their current nine-game unbeaten league run (W7 D2). Adding further credence to that bet is the fact four of the past five meetings in Manchester resulted in Man City winning to nil.
Man City Vs Aston Villa – Key Facts:
- All six Man City home wins in the Premier League this season were to nil, conceding only twice in their past nine league games (W7 D2).
- However, Aston Villa have found the back of the net in all eight of their away league games in 2020/21, netting at Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester and Man Utd.
- Man City are also utterly dominant as the home side in this fixture, winning each of the previous ten league meetings in Manchester since a 2-0 triumph for Villa in 2007.
Ten consecutive losses away to Man City coming into this fixture for Aston Villa, which is daunting enough without contending with a 19-day lay-off since losing 2-1 here in Manchester to Man Utd on 1 January. Dean Smith’s men are capable of causing a nuisance though. Villa have lost only twice on their travels this season, scoring in all eight away fixtures, and so could spoil any talk of another City clean sheet.
Best Betting Odds – Man City Vs Aston Villa
Man City – 2/7 (BetVictor)
Draw – 11/2 (BetFred)
Aston Villa – 11/1 (Betfair)
