Key events
11 min: The more they replay the goal, the more Martinez looks culpable. Two strong hands would have parried that easily. As it was, he flapped, the ball flew downwards and pinged into the bottom right off his body.
9 min: Martinez has a row with the referee about the goal, perhaps arguing that McAtee was offside and somehow affecting play, but the City man’s not in the road. In any case, the keeper probably should have done better. Silva’s shot was straight at him, and it was a weak parry. Martinez follows up mistakes against PSG and Newcastle with another questionable contribution.
GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Aston Villa (Silva 7)
An old-fashioned City goal, this. A cut-back from the byline, Marmoush skinning Cash down the left. It’s hammered home by Silva, rushing in and meeting the ball eight yards out. Martinez tries to parry but can only help the ball into the bottom right.
6 min: City attempt to establish a level of control with some of their trademark patient passing. Villa hold their shape. “On the topic of ticket prices, this feels like the time to ponder an age-old question,” suggests Kieran McKintosh. “When ticket prices are so high, and HD TV commentary with all the angles is so common, is it actually better to have a night in with mates/family watching the game on TV? Someone else on this MBM can do the maths, but surely one or two packs of beers, a big bag of crisps and a pizza or two to share does not cost £229. Not even in London.”
4 min: Cash and Ramsey probe down the right but are forced to turn tail. Villa come again, though, the former looking for the latter in the middle with a low drilled cross. City clear their lines. A lovely open feel to this game already.
2 min: City respond through Marmoush, who advances down the left to win the first corner of the game. De Bruyne’s delivery of it is uncharacteristically poor. What a start to this game, though!
17 secs: Ollie Watkins scored after 34 seconds against Newcastle on Saturday. Marcus Rashford nearly does so after half that tonight! He twists and turns down the inside-left channel before threading a shot across Ortega and off the base of the right-hand post!
Villa get the ball rolling. It’s not a sell-out.
The teams are out. City in their sky blue, Villa in claret. We’ll be off in a minute. “Never mind Ollie Watkins or City’s mid-season collapse,” begins Justin Kavanagh. “The burning question of the day is … what’s with these top-flight footie haircuts that make the barnet look like a swimming cap? That dreaded look, achieved much more cheaply I’m guessing, used to be known in our schooldays as the pudding-bowl haircut. You know you’re getting old when the haircuts of young multi-millionaires are completely baffling to you.” You’re talking about Phil Foden, aren’t you. I’m going nowhere near this subject. Bottom line: what I’d give to be able to still grow a pudding-bowl cut.
“Together we are stronger.” City’s fans have one or two things to say about that particular philosophical concept, with specific regard to ticket prices, the release of season tickets, and the effect ticketing policy is having on future generations of supporters. They’ve held a protest outside the stadium to tell it as they see it. Preach on, brothers and sisters.
Pep Guardiola talks to Sky. “Everybody is ready … we need a specific quality from McAtee and hopefully he can help the team and perform well … Villa are an exceptional team … in the best form … the challenge is there … five finals and today is the first one … let’s go … we were so low a month ago … we improve a little bit and hopefully we can be consistent again … we play for different targets that we have been used to in the past but at the same time it is exciting as well … together we are stronger … we want the fans behind us especially in bad moments … we are stronger.”
Unai Emery speaks to Sky Sports. “Good evening … the match today … game 34 … now we are going to play for three points … to be consistent is the most important … the demand for us will be huge … a challenge … try to dominate … duels … feel comfortable … we know all the difficulties we are going to face … it is not a final but it is important … City are favourites … we are motivated and I am very excited.”
He’s pushed on picking Marcus Rashford ahead of the in-form and “fuming” Ollie Watkins, but won’t be drawn, instead simply repeating the word “collective”.
“Poor Ollie Watkins.” So begins Kieran McKintosh’s email. “Clearly Unai Emery didn’t read Point 3 of the latest Talking Points article. Hopefully Watkins gets subbed on in minute 65 or so and rips it up again. He was a joy to watch last week, and a very likeable player.”
So for those that missed it, here’s what Barney Ronay had to say …
Ollie Watkins has a point. What is the appropriate response to losing your starting place in a team you helped drive into the Champions League, to a loan player who has one goal in nine league games? Watkins said he was “furious” and – also, just to be clear – “angry” after being replaced by Marcus Rashford in attack for the prime games against Paris Saint-Germain. He played like it against Newcastle, scoring after 23 seconds, his 15th of the season in the league, and hitting the woodwork twice. Unai Emery made the entirely correct point in victory that football is a squad game and Watkins a fantastic team player. But he is also 30 this year, Villa’s best forward and would slot nicely into the first XIs of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United. Maybe don’t make him too angry.
Manchester City make two changes to the team that started the 2-0 win at Everton last weekend. Nico González and Savinho make way for Mateo Kovačić and James McAtee. Ederson is still missing so Stefan Ortega remains in goal.
Aston Villa make four changes to their starting XI after the 4-1 rout of Newcastle United. Pau Torres, Lucas Digne, Amadou Onana, Jacob Ramsey and Marcus Rashford are in; Ian Maatsen, John McGinn, Marco Asensio and Ollie Watkins drop to the bench, while Tyrone Mings misses out altogether. Watkins will very possibly not be 100 percent happy with this turn of events, given how he played on Saturday evening and what he said afterwards.
The teams
Manchester City: Ortega, Matheus Luiz, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Gundogan, Kovacic, Silva, De Bruyne, McAtee, Marmoush.
Subs: Carson, Grealish, Doku, Gonzalez, Akanji, Savio, Khusanov, Foden, Lewis.
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Kamara, Onana, Rogers, Tielemans, Ramsey, Rashford.
Subs: Olsen, Disasi, Barkley, McGinn, Watkins, Garcia, Malen, Asensio, Maatsen.
Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire).
Preamble
The race for a top-five finish is heating up …
… so this is a big one. Ostensibly this is too close to call, with Manchester City coming back into form (four wins in five) and Aston Villa very much in it (ten wins in 11). However City’s current streak in this particular fixture is 14 wins in a row, so while Villa triumphed in the reverse fixture last December, Unai Emery’s side have quite the mental hurdle to clear if they’re to complete their first league double over City since 1962-63. Kick-off is at 8pm BST. It’s on!
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