This Manchester City side is better placed to get at Aston Villa today | OneFootball

Manchester City have lost their past two matches at Villa Park during the 23/24 and 24/25 seasons. Last season, Pep Guardiola’s side arrived at Villa Park down on confidence and out of form. They were beaten 2-1 by Unai Emery’s side last December, and the scoreline flattered City on that particular day. If it weren’t for an inspired performance from Stefan Ortega in goal, City would’ve suffered a heavier defeat at Villa Park last season.

It now seems that Manchester City’s issues from a season ago are well and truly behind them. They enter today’s match with a new-look squad and are unbeaten in their past nine games in all competitions. The signs are there that this Manchester City side is growing. Speaking ahead of today’s match during his pre-game press conference, Pep Guardiola believes that his side is a different team than it was last season. It is hard to disagree with Pep Guardiola’s assessment, but whether or not that translates into a victory at Villa Park remains to be seen.

Pep Guardiola believes his Manchester City team will do better than last season at Villa Park.

Speaking during the embargoed section of his pre-game press conference ahead of today’s clash with Aston Villa, Pep Guardiola acknowledged that his team didn’t deserve to get anything out of last season’s game against Villa. He told the media that his team was flat and tired and got the result they deserved. But Guardiola warned that his team is in better shape heading into today’s match. Speaking on last season’s result, and his new-look team’s condition, he said: “I saw the game [from last season] yesterday, I thought ‘wow no energy or anything’ and we didn’t deserve [anything]. In the end, it was 2-1, Phil scored, but we didn’t deserve at all.”

“Always Is I want my team to deserve what we want to achieve. Sometimes it doesn’t happen, sometimes you play better and you don’t win, but that’s football.”

“But I don’t like it when you lose in that way, when its well deserved, I don’t like it. Look at reality in the face and know what we need to do better. But I’m pretty sure we’ll do better Sunday.”

“We are another team. Even [to] the first year nine years ago, eight years ago, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.”

“The team right now who can win or can lose but still we are a team who can do good things.”

Pep Guardiola is right this is a different City team but they’ll need to perform against Aston Villa today.

Pep Guardiola’s assessment of his team is on the money. This is a new-look City side and last season’s and the season before that results at Villa Park are essentially meaningless. They have no bearing on today’s result. What is the same as the past two seasons is that Aston Villa will be tough to beat at home. They are managed by Unai Emery who has moulded a side to play to his preferences. His team are quick and energetic and they packed with match-winners and quality. Pep Guardiola’s side will have to be at their best to pick up three points today.

Over the past nine matches, City are unbeaten. But they are yet to string together a complete performance over a full 90 minutes over that run. If Aston Villa are up for today’s match, you do sense today’s game is the ideal setting for Pep Guardiola’s side to put their best foot forward. If they can put in a strong performance over the 90 minutes at Villa Park it could well see City leave a tough venue with all three points. You do feel that City have to perform at their best to pick up a precious victory today.

This Manchester City side does look to be well positioned to take on Aston Villa at Villa Park today. It won’t be an easy fixture for Pep Guardiola’s side. Whether or not City pick up a valuable three points remains to be seen but you do sense that this team is capable of doing just that, unlike the City side that were beaten at Villa Park last season, and the season before that.