Aston Villa

Image source, Rex Features

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery on his opposite number Pep Guardiola and Manchester City's poor form: "He's the best. I'm a little bit surprised (about City's form), but it's football.

"We face the best team from the last few years, clearly, in the Premier League. Maybe they're not being consistent because of different circumstances, but they are the best and their coach is the best.

"They will again be getting the good performances and they have time to be a winner again in this competition."

Image source, Getty Images

It's more than a year since Jack Grealish last scored a goal for Manchester City (against Crystal Palace on 16 December, 2023).

Grealish has gone 35 games without a club goal in all competitions.

He has played only four minutes of City's three visits to Villa Park since leaving his boyhood club.

Will the £100m signing end his drought against his former club?

Steve: Permanent transfers are hard to get in January so if there are any loan options then it could allow players to recover and get back to something like their best to at least finish in the top four before a summer rebuild. We are an ageing, injury-prone squad, which is a situation that should have been addressed over the past two seasons. Players sold just haven't been replaced either and that is poor management by the club. It saddens me to say despite amazing success.

Martin O'Neill
Former Aston Villa manager on BBC Radio 4's Today programme

Image source, PA Media

They can still do big things, absolutely.

You probably need Liverpool to come back to you, they need to lose a game or two.

At this minute, the run Liverpool are on, it doesn't seem likely. But teams will falter.

Pezza832: Villa absolutely need to be winning tough battles in order to show our mettle near the top of the table. Not blaming Watkins at all but I'm starting to wonder if Jhon Duran creates a fear-factor for the opposition that Ollie doesn't. Time will tell.

David Michael
My Old Man Said podcast

Image source, Getty Images

At the moment, it is hard to fully trust this Aston Villa team.

Considering Villa were second only to Manchester City in the 2023 calendar year for results, they should have been better placed to capitalise on the defending champions' uncharacteristic slump in form, rather than mirroring it.

But with time to tweak and, crucially, to cut out the mistakes that have undermined them in recent months, Villa could rediscover the form that made them so formidable in 2023.

Do that, and they could finish the season strongly, become a team you can trust again.

It's been well documented that it's one win in 11 in all competitions for Manchester City.

Meanwhile, It's two wins in eight Premier League games for Aston Villa.

Manchester City

Image source, Reuters

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, speaking to TNT Sports about Manuel Akanji and John Stones' return: "They trained two or three times, they are important players for us. Ederson is not here, he does not feel good."

On Kyle Walker and Kevin de Bruyne starting on the bench: "For the way we have to play I decided this line-up - simple as that."

On form: "The solution is winning games. A top match and try to do our patterns - we really believe and we will try to play better every game."

On facing Unai Emery: "They have an incredible team. When I was at Barcelona he was at Valencia and he's an excellent manager - he won three Europa Leagues in a row. He changed Aston Villa and he's an exceptional manager."

Aston Villa's past seven Premier League games = 7/21 points.

1-2 (L), 1-0 (W), 3-1 (W), 0-3 (L), 2-2 (D), 0-2 (L), 1-4 (L).

Man City's past seven Premier League games = 4/21 points.

1-2 (L), 2-2 (D), 3-0 (W), 0-2 (L), 0-4 (L), 1-2 (L), 1-2 (L).

BBC Radio 5 Live

5 Live is based in London for back-to-back Premier League commentaries.

Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson joins Ian Dennis at London Stadium for West Ham against Brighton (15:00 GMT) and then it's over to Selhurst Park where former Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer is alongside John Murray.

Listen on the go on BBC Sounds or the BBC Sport app.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Image source, PA Media

There is no disguising the turmoil at Manchester City but Pep Guardiola's track record is such, and the club's faith in him so strong, that they were delighted when he signed a new two-year contract a few weeks ago.

I agree other managers would be under a lot of pressure if their record of recent results had been as bad - but those managers are not Guardiola and do not have his proven, incredible record of success.

The thing that concerns me the most is not the fact that Manchester City are not winning games - it is that they are losing so many games.

Some of the goals they are conceding are the worst I have ever seen from City.

They should have enough steel and experience to handle difficult moments in football matches and make sure they leave games with something, even after mistakes.

Pep Guardiola is in a funny position where he knows he needs to try and break a run that he has never been on before - and yet he does not know how to do it.

Peter Crouch
Former England striker on TNT Sports

I find it strange that Marcus Rashford was allowed to do this rogue interview.

Manchester United as a club probably didn't know this was happening.

For all concerned, I think he is right, it is the best time to move on.

Manchester City

Talking of Pep Guardiola, he's already taken his seat in the opposition technical area a full hour before kick-off at Villa Park. Arms folded, he is sat alone deep in thought.

Manchester City

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola tells TNT Sports that Ederson misses out today because "he doesn't feel good".

Martin O'Neill
Former Aston Villa manager on BBC Radio 4's Today programme

The very fact we're even having a conversation about Manchester City having a tough time is kind of remarkable.

It's been a longer blip than we could have imagined but a blip nevertheless.

David: This season is a write off with Champions League qualification the only minimum requirement. Pep should play as many development/squad players as needed to properly manage injured/fatigued senior squad players - even more so at the Club World Cup. The best Man City can realistically do is to arrive at the start of next season with a combination of fit/prime senior squad players, the development squad players who flourished this season and some select new signings.

Manchester City

Image source, Getty Images

To Villa Park where Manchester City - champions for the past four seasons - are looking to end a poor run of form in the first of today's five games.

It's just one win in seven in the league and four points from a possible 21.

Will Pep Guardiola's side stop the rot?