“If Phil Foden isn’t going go start this match,” says Ben Woods, “when will he be starting?”
Last Tuesday? I agree with you, though – I am very surprised how few league games he has started, and he must be starting to wonder whether he needs to do the Sancho. You’d expect him to replace David Silva over the next two years, but he can’t be entirely thrilled with three Premier League starts in two-and-a-bit years.
If you’re into the whole rugby thing, you may well want to read about an entirely immense performance from England, who hammered New Zealand 19-7 in Yokohama to reach the World Cup final. Believe it or not, the scoreline flattered the All Blacks. England were mind-blowingly good.
It’s a vile day in Manchester, with the rain sheeting down. I can’t decide whether a drenched pitch makes life easier or more difficult for Villa.
Team news
Manchester City (4-3-3) Ederson; Cancelo, Stones, Fernandinho, Mendy; De Bruyne, Gundogan, D Silva; B Silva, Gabriel Jesus, Sterling.
Substitutes: Bravo, Walker, Aguero, Angelino, Mahrez, Otamendi, Foden.
Aston Villa (4-1-4-1) Heaton; Guilbert, Engels, Mings, Targett; Nakamba; Trezeguet, Douglas Luis, McGinn, Grealish; Wesley.
Substitutes: Steer, Taylor, Lansbury, Ngoyo, Hourihane, El Ghazi, Davis.
Referee Graham Scott.
Preamble
Hello. Manchester City won their last home game 5-1; Aston Villa won their last away game by the same scoreline. Something has to give today. And, while the likelihood is that Villa’s defensive dignity will be the first thing to go, they will take plenty of encouragement from Wolves’ smash-and-grab victory at the Etihad earlier this month.
Villa sit in 12th after a quietly impressive start to their Premier League return. City have had a slightly odd couple of months. They equalled their worst start to a season since the Abu Dhabi takeover, whith two shocking defeats to Norwich and Wolves, yet they could end the weekend only three points behind Liverpool.
They have a few injuries in defence, with Rodri and Oleksandr Zinchenko joining Aymeric Laporte in the rehabilitation wing, so Villa might fancy their chances going forward. The difficult part is at the other end.
Kick off is at 12.30pm BST.
Updated