Aston Villavs.Man City

The Citizens suffered a last-gasp 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in the Manchester derby last weekend, with the result leaving them fifth in the Premier League table, nine points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.

Man City have lost eight of their last 11 matches, winning just once, and there will be huge pressure on Pep Guardiola's side to put three points on the board when they make the trip to Villa Park.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up Man City's latest injury and suspension news ahead of the contest with Unai Emery's side, who have been victorious in three of their last four matches in all competitions.

Rodri

Status: Out

Type of injury: Knee

Possible return date: Unknown

Man City remain without the services of Rodri due to the serious knee injury that he suffered a 2-2 draw with Arsenal in September. However, the Spaniard has since offered a positive update on his recovery, and it has been suggested that he could be back on the field before the end of the 2024-25 campaign.

Oscar Bobb

Status: Out

Type of injury: Leg fracture

Possible return date: Unknown

Bobb sustained a fracture to a bone in his leg during a training session in August, and a clear return date for the attacker is still unclear at this stage, but Guardiola is expecting him to be back on the field by February.

Nathan Ake

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: Unknown

Ake suffered a hamstring injury in the closing stages of Man City's win over Nottingham Forest on December 4, and the Netherlands international is now facing another spell on the sidelines.

Manuel Akanji

Status: Major doubt

Type of injury: Pelvis/Adductor

Possible return date: December 21 (vs. Aston Villa)

Guardiola has confirmed that Akanji has been dealing with a pelvis/adductor problem of late, but there is a chance that the defender could be available for selection against Villa this weekend.

MANCHESTER CITY'S SUSPENSION LIST

Man City have no suspension issues for this contest, and there will be a return to the squad for Rico Lewis, who was banned for the Manchester derby.

Written by

Matt Law