Can Champions City Avoid An Upset Against Villa?

Aston Villa`s seemingly impossible run of games finally ends tonight (4th October, 17:15) at home to Premier League champions Manchester City. A cruel September saw Paul Lambert`s men journey to both last season`s runners-up Liverpool and title favourites Chelsea either side of a home game against Arsene Wenger`s perennial top five botherers Arsenal. Lambert will be hoping to bookend two demoralising 3-0 defeats with two well-deserved victories after pulling off the mother of all upsets at Anfield at the beginning of last month. A ninth minute goal from Gabby Agbonlahor was all that was needed to secure the win for the away club, seeing them sit second in the league undefeated with ten points from four games. This record soon came to a halt with the back-to-back thrashings at the hands of London`s flagship sides. A win for sixth-placed Villa would see them overtake their opponents into third.

Whilst that would seem like a mammoth undertaking, Stoke City have already proved this season that Manuel Pellegrini`s men are fallible. A second-half Mame Biram Diouf goal the difference between the teams as the Sky Blues failed to penetrate the Potters` well-drilled defence at the Etihad Stadium. This has been the only blip for the team seeking successive titles avoiding defeat against championship rivals Chelsea and Arsenal before seeing off Hull City in a somewhat jittery 4-2 win away from home. Early goals from Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko put the champions in the driving seat before defender Eliaquim Mangala scored an own goal and gave away a successfully converted penalty to level the score up at half-time. Another goal from Bosnian Dzeko 20 minutes from time saw the away side with a one-goal advantage once again as a late strike from Frank Lampard sealed the deal. That was the Chelsea legend`s fourth goal in a week for his new club, including a goal against his old team-mates. The 36-year-old is 23/10 (32red, 888sport, unibet) to hit the back of the net at any time tonight.

Following their win at the KC Stadium and Champions League tie against Serie A runners-up Roma, City are the 8/15 (Bwin, ladbrokes, paddy Power, william hill) favourites to dispatch Villa, whilst an upset can be backed at 7/1 with boylesports. boylesports are also offering the best price on a draw, the Manchester side`s second in a week. Eighteen to five says the two teams will share the spoils at Villa Park.

The home team will be boosted by the return of potent goal scorer, Christian Beneteke. The Belgian international is yet to take to the field in 2014/15 after sustaining an injury back in March, Benteke damaging his Achilles during a training session with his domestic squad and seeing him forfeit his place at the Brazil World Cup. The 23-year-old striker scored ten goals in his 26 appearances before coming a-cropper and is 7/2 with betfair to start this season as he means to go on with a goal at any time. Striking partner Libor Kozak will be out until the beginning of next year after having to undergo a second operation on his broken leg.

Villa will also be without their talismanic captain Ron Vlaar who is yet to reach full fitness. A calf injury is keeping the 29 year old out and his absence means that Nathan Baker will partner Phillip Senderos in the home side`s back-line. Vlaar is expected to reclaim his place in the starting eleven following the international break.

Manuel Pellegrini could hand the goalkeeper`s jersey back to Joe Hart who is looking to make his 300th league appearance for the club. The England international was replaced by summer transfer Willy Caballero at Hull but is 11/10 (bet365, betfair Spreadex, Stan James) to mark his return with a clean sheet in the Midlands. betway make Manchester City 8/5 to win the game without conceding.

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04/10/2014     © Frixo 2026