City make four changes for Saturday’s return to Premier League action away at Aston Villa.
One Moment in Time: Distin's wonder goal at Villa Park
Erling Haaland, Marc Guéhi, Jérémy Doku and Iliman Ndiaye all return to Enzo Maresca’s starting eleven for the lunchtime trip to the Midlands.
From the side that kicked off last Tuesday’s emphatic 5-1 UEFA Champions League success at home to AEK Athens, Phil Foden and Rico Lewis revert to the bench.
Allan and Floyd Samba are not in today’s matchday squad while Antoine Semenyo remains unavailable for selection as he continues his recovery from an injury picked up in last weekend’s 3-2 win over Ipswich Town.
Teams
ASTON VILLA XI: Suzuki, Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen, Gomes, Kamara, McGinn (C), Manzambi, Alysson, Jackson
Subs: Bizot, Mings, Barkley, Buendia, Mbaye, Bogarde, Goretzska, Madjo, Hemmings
CITY XI: Donnarumma, Khusanov, Dias (C), Guéhi, Gvardiol, Anderson, Fernández, Ndiaye, Cherki, Doku, Haaland
Subs: Subs: Rulli, Kovačić, Aït-Nouri, Reis, Bouaddi, O’Reilly, Foden, McAidoo, Lewis
Formation
Gianluigi Donnarumma will be the familiar figure in goal with the Italian shielded by a back four of Abdukodir Khusanov, skipper Rúben Dias, Guéhi and Joško Gvardiol.
Elliot Anderson and Enzo Fernández will offer the midfield shield with Rayan Cherki also set to be deployed in the City engine room.
Cherki is one of the best in the right position, says Maresca
Meanwhile Erling Haaland will be the central striking focal point with Ndiaye and Doku also offering attacking width.
However, such is City’s tactical and technical flexibility those positions could be subject to change!
Record in sight
City will step out at Villa Park on the cusp of what would be a notable new club record.
Victory in the West Midlands would mark our eighth successive league win this term.
That would represent our longest ever winning run at the start of a top-flight season, overtaking the record of seven successive wins at the onset of the 1897/98 campaign.
Maresca had already confirmed the best start to a managerial reign in the Premier League era with last week’s win over Ipswich Town.
Now another slice of eye-catching history is within tantalising reach.
Duke of Erl
Erling Haaland makes a welcome return to the starting line-up seeking to further extend another magnificent start to the season.
The Norwegian has already registered 12 goals across all competitions this term, including eight in the Premier League.
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As well as having the most goals, Haaland has had the most shots (27) and shots on target (13) of any player in the Premier League this season.
Meanwhile he ranks for second for big chances (12) and touches in the opposition box (40).
And having being afforded the luxury of a watching brief from the bench in that midweek win over AEK, Erling will hopefully be fully rested and refreshed for what promises to be a high-quality affair.
Stats and facts
Aston Villa have won four of their last six Premier League games against Manchester City, as many as in their previous 35 against them (D5 L26).
City have lost our last two league games against Aston Villa, last losing three in a row between August 1962 and September 1966.
Aston Villa are unbeaten in their last three Premier League home games against sides starting the day top of the table, beating Arsenal 1-0 in December 2023 and 2-1 in December 2025, and drawing 2-2 with Liverpool in February 2025.
Having failed to win any of their first four Premier League games this season (D1 L3), Aston Villa have now won two of their last three (D1). However, the Villans are winless in all three home games so far (D1 L2), last having a longer run at the start of a campaign in 2015-16 (9).
City could become the eighth side to win each of their first eight games of an English top-flight season, after Everton in 1894-95 (first 8), Sheffield United in 1903-04 (8), Tottenham Hotspur in 1960-61 (11), Manchester United in 1985-86 (10), Liverpool in 1990-91 (8), Chelsea in 2005-06 (9), and Liverpool in 2019-20 (8).
No side has had fewer shots on target than Aston Villa in the Premier League this season (22), with their average of 3.1 per game their second-lowest on record (since 2003-04) in a campaign, after 2015-16 (2.9).
City have had more open play sequences of 10+ passes than any other side in the Premier League this season (158), also scoring more build-up goals than anyone else (6).
Johan Manzambi has been involved in a goal in each of his three Premier League starts, scoring two and assisting two. No Aston Villa player has ever had a goal involvement in each of their first four starts in the competition before.
Erling Haaland scored in his first Premier League appearance against Aston Villa but the City forward has not scored in any of his last four against them. In his career in Europe’s big-five leagues, he’s only gone more games without a goal against Newcastle (ongoing run of six).
City v Brighton: £20 for adults and £1 for U18s
Tickets are now on sale for our Carabao Cup fourth round meeting with Brighton.
We host Fabian Hurzeler’s side at 19:30 (UK) on Wednesday 28 October.
Tickets for adults start from just £20, with all U18s only £1 – and you can also buy up to six tickets per person.
Taking place during half term school holidays too, it’s the perfect time to experience a night under the Etihad lights for all the family!
And there will be so much to do beforehand, with a Kids Fanzone just over the road at the City Football Academy ahead of kick-off.
Meanwhile, hospitality is available from just £100 with a range of packages on offer to suit your needs, whether a special occasion for a loved one or for something professional.
Book your place at the Seagulls encounter below.