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Manchester City vs Aston Villa LIVE!
Phil Foden scored a brilliant hat-trick as Manchester City kept the tension in the Premier League title race with a 4-1 win over Aston Villa, chasing Champions League action. A day after shielding his star striker from Roy Keane’s complaints, Pep Guardiola left Erling Haaland on the bench alongside Kevin De Bruyne, paving the way for Foden to turn heads with a remarkable performance and his second hat-trick of the campaign.
After Jhon Duran disallowed Rodri’s opener, the 23-year-old put City back in front with a first-half free-kick before two fair plays settled the scenario just after the hour mark, taking Foden to 21 goals for City. for the season. . . Pep Guardiola’s side remain third, one point ahead of Arsenal and one point because of problems with Liverpool, who host Sheffield United on Thursday, after their first win over a top-five team this season.
But while little has changed in the table, it’s a much smoother performance from the champions just days after Arsenal ended their run of 57 consecutive home games with a goal. Re-read the fit below with our committed fit blog!
GOAL! Foden scores a very good hat-trick
GOAL! Foden will go home for a moment
GOAL! Foden wins a free throw
GOAL! Durán silences the Etihad with the draw
GOAL! Rodri wins the first match
22:11, Alex Young
95min: It’s your destiny! What for Phil Foden.
22:09 , Young Alex
92 mins: Stadium commotion as Foden is named man of the match.
22:08, Alex Young
91min: Four minutes.
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85min: The city is moving now. Job done.
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80min: Two more changes for City as Doku and Foden are replaced by Gomez and Bobb.
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75 mins: City substitutions: Rodri and Bernardo are replaced by Nunes and Kovacic.
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69min: Foden scores his hat-trick! It’s a rocket from midfield, getting up after a foul, winning the ball back and then firing into the most sensitive corner.
Notable.
21:41, Alex Young
62min: Foden has his second! Happened.
Rodri beat a guy and then Foden on the edge of the box to drive home with his left foot, placing the corner low and off the post.
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59min: Foden needs a moment and bets against him getting one. He dodged it and dove through the defense, past one, two and three until he fell to Diego Carlos in the box.
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56min: Another great save from Ortega! This time, Lenglet took the corner and almost discovered the ball near the post.
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55 mins: He was about to respond that a City 3 looked very likely, however, Villa fought their way to the other end and forced Ortega to save Luiz’s bar with his fingertips.
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54′: Doku, the last to touch Olsen’s hands, arrives in the domain and shoots low to the goalkeeper.
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52min: The city is back again, Foden purrs.
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49 mins: A massive save by Olsen as Bernardo turns the box and shoots at Villa’s goalkeeper.
In case of scoring, save.
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46min: Restart.
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One wonders what Emery could do with his limited options on the bench. Bailey scored the game-winning goal the last time those two teams met in December.
21:13, Alex Young
Rodri and Foden with the goals, both aspects of Duran’s equaliser. Villa did well but City were in control.
I expect Haaland to come on in the second half, but his teammate doesn’t want him yet.
21:07, Alex Young
50min: Alvarez had to go home for a third goal, but Doku’s cross was too high for the little striker. . . And it’s rest!
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47min: Four minutes, two of which we played.
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46min: This time, Foden tries his luck and turns the wall and the back corner!
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45′: Another City free-kick on the edge of the box, fouled by Luiz.
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43min: Duran falls holding his head after a challenge from Dias. Actually, I’m not sure there’s much contact.
20:57 , Young Alex
41 mins: It starts to look like a City goal is imminent as Foden tries to sneak into the box. Villa can’t faint.
Not before the break.
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40min: Luiz booked for bringing down Álvarez on the edge of the box. . . Álvarez selects and sends a shot over the crossbar.
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39 mins: Unbelievable stuff from City as they patiently scout until Alvarez enters the box and Olsen’s back right leg prevents a goal.
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35min: The referee makes a few tackles tonight, this time Duran needs one against Lewis (and this one looks like a foul), but the referee’s gestures keep ringing.
It’s a game.
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31 mins: And now City fans boo when Luiz wins a free-kick for Grealish, who has now been cautioned for complaining about the decision.
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29min: City enthusiasts criticize Doku if he turns past Lenglet and then slips.
Nothing in it.
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23min: Close! Grealish’s half-volley into the turf bounced and went wide.
He needs a corner, but Olsen doesn’t seem to have touched it.
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20min: Etihad silenced!A very good counter frees Duran into dominance and goes home under Ortega!
Game. In.
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14min: Manchester City fans chant “European champions, never sing that” in front of Aston Villa supporters.
Aston Villa won the European Cup years before City, of course.
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12min: It happens! Rodri shoots home within minutes.
Smart goal, sweeping Doku’s cross.
20:26, Alex Young
11min: Grealish is booed every time he touches the ball.
This will teach you how to pass out to win trophies.
20:24, Alex Young
9 mins: Doku fouled near the sideline, about 30 yards away, to win a loose shot. Foden is done with that, but sends the shipment into Olsen’s grateful hands.
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7min: He can go on, but we have to keep an eye on him.
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6min: Concern for Villa because Durán is down and it turns out that he is in pain.
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3min: Directly at the other end, Grealish sees Alvarez get into the domain and the young striker turns well to shoot into the side netting.
Maybe he’s offside.
20:17, Alex Young
2min: Villa win a corner immediately, City manage it well.
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1min: Let’s go!
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Here are the teams!
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“In two days we’ll have a game,” he told TNT Sports.
“I think every team, at its best, has a wonderful team and, of course, we have it and that’s the position we occupy today in the lineup. “
20:04, Alex Young
They’re back in the locker room. We’re almost there.
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De Bruyne and Haaland are warming up with the rest of the team, so fitness doesn’t seem to be an issue.
19:45, Alex Young
It’s worse for Villa as Martinez has been removed from the game due to illness!
Now Robin Olsen will begin.
Update: Robin Olsen will start at Aston Villa. Emi Martinez is absent due to illness. https://t. co/E1skO8BPAW
– Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) April 3, 2024
19:35, Alex Young
Haaland, De Bruyne and De Bruyne are all on the bench while Man City make 4 changes. Lewis starts with Ake out and the Stones have enough compatibility to be part of the lineup.
Aston Villa made changes, with Duran replacing the injured Watkins. Torres and Bailey went to the bench.
19:19, Alex Young
Manchester City XI: Ortega Moreno, Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Rodrigo, Bernardo, Doku, Foden, Grealish, Álvarez
Substitutes: Carson, Stones, Kovacic, Haaland, De Bruyne, Gómez, Nunes, Bobb, Susoho
Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Konsa, Diego Carlos, Lenglet, Digne, Zaniolo, Iroegbunam, Douglas Luiz, Rogers, Diaby, Duran
Substitutes: Tielemans, Torres, Alex Moreno, Chambers, Gauci, Olsen, Kesler-Hayden, Bailey, Kellyman
19:16, Alex Young
. . . and visitors.
I will represent Aston Villa tonight pic. twitter. com/7sWKOR65yj ?
– Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) April 3, 2024
19:16, Alex Young
This is what the hosts look like.
In the Blue Corner!?XI | Ortega Moreno, Lewis, Akanji, Dias (C), Gvardiol, Rodrigo, Bernardo, Doku, Foden, Grealish, AlvarezSUBS | Carson, Stones, Kovacic, Haaland, De Bruyne, Gomez, Nunes, Bobb, Susoho#ManCity | @etihad pic. twitter. com/9lYty11XS8
– Manchester City (@ManCity) April 3, 2024
19:08, Alex Young
Rico Lewis is expected to start tonight as the Stones still have compatibility for a spot in the XI.
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Just yesterday Guardiola called Haaland “the striker of the world”, but now he has abandoned him.
It comes after Roy Keane described Haaland’s Arsenal’s “overall play” as “very poor” and “almost like a Ligue 2 player”.
Guardiola said on Tuesday: “I don’t agree with him, probably not.
“He’s the most productive striker in the world. He helped us win last season and the reason we didn’t get a lot of responses from Erling is that we want more presence in the final third with more people.
“We played an exceptional game, I watched the game against Arsenal, but we missed some other players in the final third. The quality and the other skills that we have, Haaland is outstanding. “
18:50, Alex Young
Last December, Aston Villa continued their remarkable run at home by beating Manchester City 1-0 at Villa Park on a night when they could well have scored more.
Leon Bailey propelled the hosts to a 1-0 victory, which equalled a club record with a 14th consecutive home win and propelled them above the stuttering Premier League champions to third place.
Bailey’s goal in the 74th minute came from a deflection by Ruben Dias, but few Villa Park cared amid the jubilant celebrations.
Unai Emery’s first win over Pep Guardiola in 14 attempts came in his 50th game against Villa, a team he has gone from fighting relegation to a top-four in the space of a year.
Learn here.
18:45, Alex Young
It’s an attractive tactic on Guardiola’s part, as Villa are one of the most powerful groups in the league, even Watkins.
18:31, Alex Young
So, an evening for the likes of Alvarez and. . . Nunes perhaps?Or Grealish for starters.
18:24, Alex Young
It looks like De Bruyne won’t be in the starting XI tonight either. In less than an hour we will have shown the current situation of the team.
18:19, Alex Young
Villa remains one of the most dangerous teams in the department and has the ability to break down City’s defence. Having failed to score against Arsenal, there is a sense of vulnerability within Guardiola’s team.
A 1-1 draw.
18:14, Alex Young
First (very) unconfirmed that Haaland has been benched for tonight’s game.
18:12, Alex Young
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins will not be able to play tonight.
The striker suffered a hamstring injury in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Wolves. He tried to continue after the break, but the doctor begged him not to take any chances.
Villa manager Unai Emery says it was a “small injury” but enough to rule him out of the Etihad Stadium, along with Jacob Ramsey, who has been absent since early last month with a foot problem.
Emery said in his pre-match press conference: “They probably won’t be available tomorrow. They have minor injuries.
“Jacob Ramsey is rarely the way he needs to be. We’re not in a hurry with him. It won’t be available tomorrow.
“With Ollie, it’s pretty much the same. Ollie’s injury is a small injury, with a few days off, maybe he can be available for the next game. “
18:01, Alex Young
A Manchester City trio is expected to be missing tonight.
City already had experienced defender Kyle Walker and first-choice goalkeeper Ederson available for Sunday’s goalless draw against rivals Arsenal, with John Stones as an unused replacement as they recover.
City then saw their defensive problems worsen further when Nathan Ake was sent off after less than half an hour at the Etihad Stadium.
Asked about Stones, Walker and Ederson at his pre-Villa press conference on Tuesday, manager Guardiola said: “I don’t think they [play]. John maybe, the other two don’t stand a chance.
“[John] has to feel really good. But the injury is less than we expected. We’ll see. Maybe he’ll be fit for the next few games.
On Ake, he added: “Injured. I hope he comes back soon. I don’t know the exact moment. In the next game I might not be ready. “
17:54, Alex Young
TV channel: In the UK, the match will be broadcast on TNT Sports 1, with politics kicking off at 19:30 BST before kick-off at 20:15.
Live streaming: Subscribers can also watch the contest online through the Discovery app and website.
17:46, Alex Young
Good evening and welcome to Standard’s policy on the Premier League clash between Manchester City and Aston Villa.
It’s one of the toughest fixtures for the defending champions in the race, City will be buoyed by the absence of Villa leader Ollie Watkins due to injury.
But Villa have already beaten City once this season. Will they be able to double the league for the first time in 22 years?
Kick-off is at 20:15 BST.