Aston Villa didn’t have the easiest September by any stretch of the imagination – away games against Liverpool and Chelsea and a home visit from Arsenal. After opening the month with a 1-0 win at Anfield, The Villans will be disappointed but not too disheartened to have then succumbed to 3-0 losses to Arsenal and Chelsea. They now have their fourth tough league game in as many weeks on Saturday, as they host Manchester City in the first game of October.
Despite last month, there’s hardly a bad feeling about Villa Park this season. The defeats against the London clubs are Villa’s first two league losses of the campaign, who sit just three places behind City, in sixth. The introduction of Roy Keane alongside Paul Lambert has worked well, and now the Scottish ex-Norwich manager has had his contract renewed too – a move few would have saw coming in the summer.
The two games between these two historical sides were two very different games last year. The fixture at Villa Park came in the middle of City’s struggle for away form at the front end of last season, and eventually it resulted in a 3-2 Villa win, even after the visitors had led twice. Andi Weimann grabbed the winner in the second half after a mix-up in defence that caused more criticism for Joe Hart.
However in the reverse game in May, City encountered none of the hurdles they had eight months earlier. The game was the penultimate one before the title-winning match against West Ham United, but the 4-0 City win against The Villans all but sealed it. Džeko scored twice and Stevan Jovetić even grabbed a goal, but that particular game will be most remembered for a storming Yaya Touré run in injury time that left four defenders in his wake, before shooting past Brad Guzan. Yaya is yet to really replicate that sort of form so far this campaign, and Saturday may be the game he needs to galvanise himself.
This is the last time City will play for a fortnight due to international duties, and Manuel Pellegrini will be keen to ensure his players head off to their international sides in confidence after a win on Saturday. If they don’t, not only could it affect their form for their country, but also for the club who’ve got some tough fixtures coming up straight after the international break.
A player that The Blues really missed during September is Fernando. The Brazilian midfielder picked up a groin injury against Stoke late in August and has been absent since, but will almost certainly be back fit in time for the visit to Birmingham – whether or not he’ll be in the squad is a different matter, but if he is able to play, Pellegrini will likely select him. Matija Nastasić and Samir Nasri (groin) are both out and whilst City are likely to be unhappy, it won’t be the main concern for the manager and his backroom staff.
In the home dressing room, there’s some players likely to be back from injury in time for Saturday. Ron Vlaar (calf) is to have a late fitness test ahead of the tie at Villa Park, but Libor Kozák (broken leg) is still missing. A possible addition to the squad who would certainly be a happy one (for the hosts anyway) is Christian Benteke. He ruptured his Achilles tendon at the start of April this year, meaning he missed the World Cup. He’s now fit and almost ready to play for Villa again, but may not play any part on Saturday.
After mixed Septembers for both teams, they’re both looking to put it behind them going into October. However this game won’t be an easy one for City by any means. Villa Park has been a tough ground over the last few years, regardless of what the home and away results are, and Villa are a good team. There’s cause to be worried for Pellegrini, but City and their players will be out to prove they’re still in the title race. That could be the key factor on Saturday evening.
