Manchester City host Aston Villa to close out their Premier League campaign on Sunday afternoon.
The fixture marks an incredibly emotional occasion at the Etihad Stadium. Head coach Pep Guardiola manages his final match before departing the club. He leaves after a phenomenal ten-year tenure featuring 20 major trophies.
To honour his extraordinary legacy, the club will open the newly renamed Pep Guardiola North Stand. The Citizens finished second behind champions Arsenal following a midweek draw against Bournemouth.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa arrive in Manchester riding a wave of pure euphoria. Unai Emery’s side made history in Istanbul on Wednesday evening. They thrashed German outfit Freiburg 3-0 to claim the Europa League title.
That historic triumph represents their first major trophy in thirty years. Both clubs have already officially secured Champions League qualification for next season. This lack of pressure should facilitate a highly entertaining and open football match.
Manchester City vs Aston Villa – Match preview and team news
- Competition: Premier League
- Date: Sunday, 24 May 2026
- Kick-off: 16:00 BST
- Venue: Etihad Stadium
- Referee: Andy Madley
- VAR: Jarred Gillet
- Last Meeting: Aston Villa 1–0 Man City (26 Oct 2025, Premier League)
Team news
Manchester City
Guardiola boasts a fully fit squad for his grand Manchester farewell. Rodri and Josko Gvardiol recently returned to training following groin and leg injuries respectively. Bernardo Silva and John Stones expect to feature in their final appearances for the club.
Silva departs having represented City 459 times, while Stones leaves following 296 appearances. Guardiola could also hand starts to Phil Foden, Savinho, and Rayan Aït-Nouri.
Aston Villa
Aston Villa suffered a bizarre injury blow ahead of their European triumph. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez broke his finger during the pre-match warm-up in Istanbul. He miraculously played 90 minutes but yields his place to Marco Bizot today.
Boubacar Kamara remains sidelined after suffering a season-ending knee injury back in January. Brazilian winger Alysson also misses the trip while recovering from a frustrating groin issue.
Form
Manchester City
The hosts enter the contest enjoying a 15-game unbeaten run in the league. They have won 19 of their last 20 home league matches against Aston Villa. The Citizens have also won their final league match in eight of nine seasons under Guardiola.
Erling Haaland leads the line boasting 27 league goals this term. He expects to secure his third Golden Boot in four seasons. That achievement would equal the tallies of Alan Shearer and Harry Kane.
Aston Villa
The visitors want to win consecutive league matches for the first time since December. Ollie Watkins enters the game in sensational individual form. He has registered six goals and two assists across his last nine appearances.
However, the visitors possess a terrible historical record on the final day. Villa have lost their final league match 16 times, more than any other club. They have also won just one final-day away game across their last 27 campaigns.
Predicted lineups
Man City Predicted XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Stones, Guehi, O’Reilly; Silva, Foden; Semenyo, Cherki, Doku; Haaland
Aston Villa Predicted XI: Bizot; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen; Bogarde, Onana; Sancho, Barkley, Rogers; Abraham
How to watch Manchester City vs Aston Villa?
In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports Action, with coverage starting at 2pm BST. Sky Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app.
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