English Premier
2025-04-22 - Manchester City vs Aston Villa
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Tuesday 22nd April 2025 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV
Manchester City
The Champions and the trio to be relegated from the English Premier League could be decided as soon as this weekend, but there is a real battle developing for the four Champions League spots behind Liverpool. After winning on Sunday, Arsenal are closing in on one of those positions, while Manchester City are hoping to take a big step towards a return to the top UEFA competition with an important result on Tuesday.
Late goals were needed on Saturday in the last visit to Goodison Park, but those secured three important points and pushed Manchester City into the top four, albeit before Nottingham Forest have played at the time of writing. Pep Guardiola will remind his players that they have control of their own destiny as Manchester City look to improve the 10-3-3 record at the Etihad Stadium.
Manchester City did look like a team that was struggling for consistency, but they are unbeaten in 6 games in all competitions and have won 4 of their last 5. Back to back Premier League wins have been secured at home against Leicester City and Crystal Palace.
Ederson, John Stones, Nathan Ake and Erling Haaland are all doubts.
Aston Villa
Ollie Watkins admitted he has not been happy about his bit-part role in the Champions League Quarter Final loss to Paris Saint-Germain and he reminded Unai Emery of his qualities in the big win over Newcastle United on Saturday. Scoring one and assisting one should mean Watkins leads the line again as Aston Villa look to move into the Champions League places in the standings.
Beating Newcastle United may not have improved the League position, but Aston Villa have joined Chelsea and Nottingham Forest on 57 points (although Forest play on Monday evening). They are also just 2 points behind 3rd placed Newcastle United and Aston Villa will be looking for a big performance here days before the FA Cup Semi Final. The Villans have a 7-2-7 away record in the Premier League where they have scored 22 goals and conceded 27.
Aston Villa have pushed their strong run of form to 10 wins in 11 games in all competitions, including in their last 3 in a row. Even the away form has been improved in recent weeks and Aston Villa have won 5 of their last 6 on their travels in all competitions.
The squad depth has impressed and Unai Emery has a full choice of players to choose from.
Head to Head
Aston Villa beat Manchester City 2-1 at home in December.
However it has been much tougher at the Etihad Stadium where Manchester City have won 15 of 16 games played against Aston Villa.
Prediction
Two teams chasing Champions League returns meet in a big Premier League game on Tuesday evening and both Manchester City and Aston Villa will arrive at the fixture with confidence from big wins over the last month.
Both will point to good form- Manchester City have won 4 of their last 5 games in all competitions, while Aston Villa have won 10 of their last 11.
Manchester City have earned consecutive home Premier League wins, while Aston Villa have won 3 away League games in succession and all without conceding a single goal.
The reality is that you could imagine both teams being pretty happy with a point apiece and then focusing on other matches to push forward.
However, Pep Guardiola and Unai Emery have plenty of attacking talents to call upon and so both have the qualities in the final third to hurt the other. Substitutions can be made to change the direction of the fixture and recent matches between Manchester City and Aston Villa have tended to end with high-scoring returns.
6 of the last 8 between the clubs have finished with at least three goals shared out- that becomes 13 out of the last 14 when only considering matches hosted by Manchester City and there is every chance this fixture develops into an entertaining one for the neutrals.
You have to factor in the FA Cup Semi Finals being played this weekend and whether the teams will not risk too much in order to preserve energy, especially if the game is into the last twenty minutes. If the game is tied at that stage, you may see both settle for a point each, but there is enough motivation to win the game to believe attack will be seen as the best form of defence.
The odds are pretty short, but backing at least three goals to be shared out looks the best approach to take when it comes to this important fixture on Tuesday evening.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Manchester City 2-2 Aston Villa
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
I'll back Over 2.5 Goals at 1.53 with BetFred
