Manchester City sit second in the Premier League table heading into the weekend, but an in-form Aston Villa stand between them and another three points.
Unai Emery has caused Pep Guardiola a few problems over the last couple of seasons. Will that be the case again at Villa Park on Sunday afternoon?
Aston Villa vs Manchester City odds
Find the latest Aston Villa vs Manchester City betting odds here. All odds are provided by our recommended football bookmakers and are subject to change.
Aston Villa vs Manchester City predictions
Before the Premier League season began, Manchester City were firmly third in the list of title favourites.
After their dramatic drop-off in 2024/25, Pep Guardiola’s side were widely ranked below Liverpool and Arsenal in the list of most likely champions.
Not that they were bothered by that. In fact, it might actually be a good thing for City that the attention has been directed elsewhere.
Even now, with City second in the standings, Arsenal’s strong form and Liverpool’s woes have drawn considerably more commentary.
Under the radar somewhat, City are going along nicely. Arsenal have rightly attracted much praise in recent weeks, yet Guardiola’s charges are only three points behind Mikel Arteta’s men in top spot.
Arsenal have been the best team in the division so far, but City are quietly in fine form themselves. After a 2-0 victory over Villarreal in the Champions League in midweek, they have won seven and drawn two of their last nine matches in all competitions.
The most notable thing about that run is how often City, a side that once renowned for the heavy thrashings they inflicted on their opponents, have won by the odd or goal two.
Four of their last six victories have been by two goals to nil; one other was 1-0. Teams are not finding it easy to score against City right now.
“We made a good performance. I know the Spanish people know that Villarreal is a top, top team,” Guardiola said after his team’s success on Tuesday. “I know how difficult it is to come here and I have the feeling things are coming back to what we were in the past.”
Aston Villa lost 2-1 to Go Ahead Eagles in the Europa League on Thursday, but before that they won five games on the bounce in all competitions.
Three of those victories came in the Premier League, lifting them up to 11th place. A win here would move Unai Emery’s crew to within a point of City.
Villa have had some joy in this fixture of late. They beat City at Villa Park in both 2023/24 and 2024/25, while the two teams shared the spoils in Birmingham in 2022/23.
Can Villa get another positive result against Guardiola’s men on home turf?
1
Aston Villa vs Manchester City betting tips
Aston Villa face Manchester City in one of the standout fixtures of the Premier League weekend.
Honours even in second city?
Manchester City’s results have generally been good so far this season, but they are not yet at the level of their previous title-winning teams.
Guardiola will be pleased with his side’s ability to win games even when they are not entirely dominant, and that attribute will come in handy at Villa Park.
However, with the exception of the Go Ahead Eagles game on Thursday, Aston Villa have been much improved in recent weeks.
They know what it takes to get the better of City at Villa Park, where the home fans will be well up for this game.
All things considered, a draw represents excellent value here.
⚽ Bet on a draw at 49/20 with Puntit ⚽
Slow burner awaits
Although they have not been quite as prolific as in previous campaigns, Manchester City are still the Premier League’s leading goalscorers.
Seven of their 17 strikes have come in the first half of matches, a return which no other team can better.
On Sunday, though, we expect the opening 45 minutes to be relatively uneventful. Neither team will take undue risks and we could see a quiet first period.
There have been only seven first-half goals in Aston Villa’s league games in 2025/26, so a slow burner likely awaits this weekend.
We may well have to wait until the 46th minute or later for the deadlock to be broken.
⚽ Choose under 0.5 goals in the first half at 5/2 with Sky Bet ⚽
Haaland unstoppable at present
Even by his own sky-high standards, Erling Haaland has had a sensational start to the season.
The Norway international has notched 11 goals in his first eight Premier League appearances. As long as he stays fit, he will surely win the Golden Boot this term.
Guardiola has spoken of the need for Haaland’s attacking team-mates to take some of the goalscoring burden off his shoulders.
But if you are going to be reliant on one player in world football for goals, it would be the remarkably consistent Haaland.
At odds close to evens, this wager is too attractive to pass up.
⚽ Back Erling Haaland to score any time at 9/10 with BetMGM ⚽
Aston Villa vs Manchester City predicted lineups
- Aston Villa expected lineup: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Kamara, Onana; Malen, Rogers, McGinn; Watkins.
- Manchester City expected lineup: Donnarumma; Nunes, Stones, Dias, Gvardiol; Gonzalez; Silva, Foden, Reijnders, Doku; Haaland.
📺 Where to watch Aston Villa vs Manchester City
- Location: Villa Park, Birmingham, England.
- Date and time: Sunday 26th October, 2pm.
- How to watch: Sky Sports Main Event.
More Premier League free bet offers
More Premier League predictions
We have plenty more Premier League predictions and picks – find our latest betting tips from expert punters in our match preview overview.
About the author
Greg Lea
Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.
Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- GambleAware – www.gambleaware.org
Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
