Manchester City travel to Villa Park on Saturday lunchtime looking to maintain a perfect start to the Premier League season against an improving Aston Villa side.
Enzo Maresca’s side have won all seven of their league matches so far this season, sitting top of the table on 21 points, 12 goals clear on goal difference of their nearest rivals. Victory at Villa Park would extend their winning run to eight matches in a season in which they have yet to drop a point.
Manchester City team news
Antoine Semenyo is the only confirmed absentee for City, ruled out with a knee injury. Nico O’Reilly (back), Mateo Kovačić (knock) and Matheus Nunes (muscle) are all doubts after picking up issues in Wednesday’s 5-1 Champions League win over AEK Athens, with their involvement subject to a late fitness test. Erling Haaland was withdrawn as a precaution for that match having been pictured with a swollen foot after scoring twice against Ipswich Town the previous weekend, but Maresca has since confirmed the striker is “100% available” to face Villa.
Marc Guehi is set to partner captain Rúben Dias at centre-back, with Josko Gvardiol and Nico O’Reilly competing for the left-back role. Nunes is likely to start at right-back if passed fit, with Abdukodir Khusanov the alternative. Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku are expected to support Haaland in attack, continuing City’s seven-match winning run in all competitions. City have also won all three of their away league matches this season, a record that will be tested by an increasingly resilient Villa side unbeaten in their last three matches.
Manchester City predicted lineup
Manchester City possible starting XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guehi, O’Reilly; Anderson, Bouaddi, Fernandez; Foden, Haaland, Doku
When will the match kick off?
The Premier League match kicks off at 12:30 BST on Saturday, 24 October 2026.
How to watch Aston Villa vs Manchester City?
The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK.
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