Aston Villa vs Manchester City kicks off on 24 Oct 2026 at 07:30 EST and 11:30 GMT.
City's 100% start has been impressive, albeit controversial
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Villa have steadied the ship after an indifferent start
Aston Villa languish in 12th with eight points and just two wins from their opening seven assignments. However, they're unbeaten across all competitions since a 1-2 home reverse against Nottingham Forest on 12 September. They've won three on the bounce now, including an impressive 1-0 win at Newcastle in their most recent Premier League clash. New signings Johan Manzambi and goalkeeper Zion Suzuki have been standouts.
Getty ImagesFoden ends goal drought
After 35 matches without finding the back of the net, Phil Foden now has four goals in his last two outings, including a hat-trick against AEK Athens last time out in the Champions League. Manchester City, embroiled in controversy as they face heavy sanctions after violating the Premier League's financial fair play rules, are getting things done on the pitch. New boss Enzo Maresca has started life in the dugout at the Etihad with seven wins from seven in the Premier League. Erling Haaland leads the way in the scoring charts with eight strikes. The giant Norwegian got the evening off in City's 5-1 demolition of AEK, but scored braces in each of his last two appearances for the club.
Getty ImagesKey stats & injury news
- Enzo Maresca is the first manager to win his first seven EPL matches at a club.
- Villa boss Emery will be without Amadou Onana, Ian Maatsen and Aaron Wan-Bissaka for this match.
- City winger Antoine Semenyo will be absent for eight weeks with a knee issue.
Team news & squads
Aston Villa vs Manchester City Probable lineups
Aston Villa have a significant number of absentees for Unai Emery to manage. Amadou Onana, Ian Maatsen, Matteo Ruggeri, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Johan Manzambi are all listed as injured, and updates on their availability are expected closer to kick-off.
Manchester City are also dealing with injury concerns in attack. Antoine Semenyo is confirmed out for up to eight weeks with a knee problem, while Matheus Nunes is also sidelined. Erling Haaland's fitness remains a concern following his early exit against Ipswich Town, and Enzo Maresca has yet to confirm whether the Norwegian will be available.
Form
Aston Villa have won four of their last five matches across all competitions, with their only dropped points coming in a 2-2 draw at home to Brentford in the Premier League. Their most recent result was a 1-0 win at Newcastle United, and they also recorded a 6-0 victory over Fenerbahce in the Champions League during that run. Across those five matches, Villa have scored 12 goals and conceded six.
Manchester City have won four of their last five, with their only defeat a 4-2 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. Their most recent outing was a 3-2 Premier League win over Ipswich Town, and they also claimed a 3-0 victory at Liverpool during that stretch. Across five matches, City have scored 18 goals and conceded 11.
Head-to-Head Record
The most recent meeting between these two sides came in May 2026, when Aston Villa won 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium in a Premier League fixture. Looking at the last five head-to-head matches, Villa have won three and City have won two, with the aggregate goals standing at eight for Villa and seven for City. Three of the last four meetings have been decided by a single goal.
Standings
Manchester City lead the Premier League table heading into this fixture, while Aston Villa sit in 12th place. The gap in positions adds clear context to the match: City arrive as the division's pacesetters, while Villa will look to use home advantage to close the distance on the clubs above them.