Unai Emery, the coach of Aston Villa, has revealed his game plan ahead of tonight’s match against Manchester City.

Manchester City is currently experiencing a challenging phase of form, having drawn their last three Premier League matches and conceding 10 goals in their last four games across all competitions. The team has secured only 12 points from their last eight league fixtures, making their upcoming visit to Villa Park, where Aston Villa has won 13 consecutive Premier League matches, a formidable task.

Aston Villa’s recent 2-2 draw at AFC Bournemouth was somewhat fortunate, and signs of wear and tear are starting to show as the fixture schedule takes its toll. Another midweek fixture could be demanding on the legs of key players like Ollie Watkins, John McGinn, and Douglas Luiz, who have started every league match this season.

Despite these challenges, there are reasons to believe that Aston Villa can achieve a positive result against Manchester City and potentially leapfrog them in the table with a win. The suspension of Rodri, a key player for Man City, is seen as a major boost for Villa. In matches where Rodri has been absent since his debut in 2019/20, Man City has lost 37.5%, including their recent defeats to Arsenal and Wolves.

Without Rodri, Man City appears more vulnerable to counter-attacks, which aligns with Villa’s strength, as they rank second in the Premier League for “direct attacks.” Villa’s game plan under Unai Emery is expected to involve sitting deeper, inviting pressure from Man City, and then hitting them on the counter, capitalizing on the absence of Rodri in the defensive midfield role.

Villa’s attacking strategy involves utilizing the middle column of the pitch, with McGinn and Leon Bailey drifting inside to exploit any sluggishness in the Man City midfield. The recent 3-3 draw between Tottenham Hotspur and Man City showcased vulnerabilities in Guardiola’s team, and Emery aims to capitalize on this weakness.

Notably, Emery, the Villa manager, has never beaten Pep Guardiola in their 13 previous meetings. This upcoming fixture presents a significant opportunity for Emery to secure a victory against Guardiola, considering the vulnerabilities in the Man City squad this season.