Confirmed Line-Ups: Manchester City vs Aston Villa (Premier League)

Pep Guardiola and Unai Emery go head-to-head for the second time this season as Manchester City look to make amends for a drab 1-0 defeat in the reverse fixture.

City, once again, find themselves embroiled in a hotly-contested Premier League title battle, going head-to-head with long-term rivals Liverpool, as well as Arsenal for the second season running at the summit of the English top-flight.

Guardiola’s players have faced both of those sides in the last month, being held to draws in both matches with an Alexis Mac Allister penalty cancelling out John Stones’ opener at Anfield, and Mikel Arteta formulating a six-man low-block to retain a 0-0 scoreline at the Etihad last weekend.

Aston Villa are likely to present a very different challenge on Wednesday night, with Unai Emery’s free-flowing attacking style likely to open up more spaces for Manchester City in their pursuit of bouncing back from the weekend’s stalemate.

The Midlands club will however have to take on arguably the best team in the world without their star striker Ollie Watkins, or highly-rated midfield talent Jacob Ramsey, while Manchester City have injury problems of their own to mull over in the coming days and weeks.

Nathan Ake became the latest Manchester City player to sustain an injury problem after he limped off inside 30 minutes against Arsenal with a suspected calf issue, while Kyle Walker and Ederson remain sidelined.

John Stones is likely to remain in contention for on-field action in the second successive outing after his shock inclusion in the match day squad that faced Arsenal, following on from his adductor problem sustained on international duty with England.

Ahead of kick-off at the Etihad Stadium, here is how both Pep Guardiola and Unai Emery line-up their respective Manchester City and Aston Villa sides in Premier League action.

Manchester City

Starting XI: Ortega; Lewis, Dias (C), Akanji, Gvardiol; Rodri, Bernardo, Foden; Doku, Alvarez, Grealish.

Substitutes: Carson, Stones, Gomez, Kovacic, De Bruyne, Nunes, Bobb, Susoho, Haaland.

Aston Villa

Starting XI: Martinez, Konsa, Carlos, Lenglet, Digne, Zaniolo, Iroegbunam, Luiz, Rogers, Diaby, Duran.

Substitutes: Tielemans, Torres, Moreno, Chambers, Gauci, Olsen, Kesler-Hayden, Bailey, Kellyman.