Aston Villa will have a tough task when they face third-placed Manchester City on Sunday.
Dean Smith’s side will have been boosted though after managing to come away from the King Power Stadium with a 1-1 draw against Leicester City in midweek.
They will be looking to replicate or better that result against last season’s champions, as they look to increase their gap from the relegation zone that stood at just a point going into the weekend’s action.
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With that in mind, FFC has predicted the lineup that Smith may utilise, which includes two changes from the Leicester match.
Orjan Nyland received plenty of praise for his performance against Leicester, which should be enough to keep him in the side with Tom Heaton out for the season.
Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings and Kortney Hause were solid against the Foxes, conceding just a solitary goal against a side boasting the league’s top scorer, Jamie Vardy. The opposition’s goal eventually came when Douglas Luiz was dispossessed, so the aforementioned backline should continue.
Frederic Guilbert will surely be chosen ahead of Ahmed Elmohamady after scoring the goal that secured the draw in Villa’s Carabao Cup semi-final.
Matt Targett is available after returning from a hamstring injury, as reported by BBC Sport, so he should come in for Neil Taylor who was particularly poor against Fulham in the FA Cup.
Luiz and Marvelous Nakamba were slated for their performances against Leicester but may keep their spots due to the nature of the side they will be playing against. City have scored the highest number of goals in the division so a protective screen will be needed in front of the defence.
Danny Drinkwater joins them in a midfield three to make his debut for the Villans, having joined on loan from Chelsea.
Villa don’t actually have any senior strikers available, with Jonathan Kodjia out because of illness and Keinan Davis still injured. This could see Jack Grealish and Anwar El Ghazi being used as an attacking duo – though this does offer an indication of how desperately Villa need new recruits in attacking areas this month.
Meanwhile, Villa’s proposed transfer move could act as a roadblock for the progression of their exciting youngster.