Manchester City Faces Aston Villa Amid Key Player Absences

Manchester, England — Manchester City will host Aston Villa on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at 4 p.m. local time at the Etihad Stadium. This match is part of the 34th round of the Premier League and will be broadcast live on ESPN and Disney+.

The City team is having an unusual season. While they are through to the semifinals of the FA Cup, they have been eliminated from the League Cup and the Champions League, and they have no chance of winning the Premier League. City currently sits in fourth place with 58 points, just ahead of seventh-placed Aston Villa, which has 57 points.

key player Erling Haaland will not play for at least another month. Omar Marmoush will take his place in the attack. Additionally, Ederson, John Stones, Rodri, and Nathan Aké are also sidelined with injuries. Given the upcoming FA Cup semifinal, coach Pep Guardiola may opt for a mixed lineup for this match, complicating their strategy as they also strive to remain in the top five of the Premier League to secure a spot in the 2025/26 Champions League.

Manchester City’s probable lineup includes: Ortega; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, and O'Reilly; Nico and Gundogan; Savinho, Silva, and Foden; Marmoush. Manager: Pep Guardiola. Injured players: Ederson, Haaland, Aké, Stones, and Rodri.

The City has not lost in the Premier League in five matches, accumulating three wins and two draws. Meanwhile, Aston Villa is undefeated in their last six matches, with five wins and one draw. Villa’s momentum is strong, and they will likely not make changes to their starting lineup for this match.

City’s manager Pep Guardiola emphasized the importance of fan support ahead of the match, calling it a “final” for their Champions League aspirations. “Every point, every game counts. I hope (our fans) can help us from the first minute,” Guardiola said. “We need them to support, make noise, and be there the whole time, because it’s definitely a final for us.”

Aston Villa, coming off a 4-1 victory over Newcastle, is riding a wave of confidence and aims to capitalize on City’s injury woes. Villa’s manager Unai Emery has a full squad available for selection and hopes to maintain their pickup in form against the struggling City side.

As the match approaches, both teams are motivated for a vital clash that could impact their positions in the league and their hopes of Champions League qualification.