City have looked dangerous going forward but Guardiola will be expecting a much more clinical performance from his side if they want to get the three points from this game. As for Villa, Smith will be pleased with how they've played so far, especially at the back, but they need to improve in the final third.
It's goalless at the break between City and Villa. The hosts dominated the first half and have created some good chances so far, with Silva forcing a good early save out of Martinez. Villa have been solid at the back though with all of the defenders making important blocks to keep it at 0-0. Barkley is the only Villa player that tested Ederson, but it was a comfortable save for the keeper.
45' + 3' HALF-TIME: MANCHESTER CITY 0-0 ASTON VILLA.
45' + 1' GREAT CHANCE! City break quickly on the counter and De Bruyne drives into the box and squeezes his low cross through to Foden at the far post. He takes a touch before hitting his shot, but Cash makes a good block.
45' Watkins lays it off to Barkley and continues his run into the box, but the midfielder chooses to go for goal himself. He tries to send it across goal, but there's no power on the shot and Dias blocks it.
43' It's patient play by the hosts as they continue to pass it around in the final third and try to open up some space in Villa's defence. Rodri swings a good cross to the far post from the right, but Foden's header is straight at Martinez.
41' City are attacking down the left again, with Gundogan driving forward down the wing. He has Zinchenko making the overlapping run in support, but there's not enough on the pass and Cash is able to clear his lines.
39' De Bruyne swings a corner into the box and it's headed back into the middle by Rodri. Stones is waiting under it as Martinez comes out for it and he backs into the goalkeeper and gives away a free-kick.
37' Grealish cuts into the box from the left, but his run is blocked by Zinchenko, so he plays it back to Barkley on the edge of the box. He tries to curl his shot into the far bottom corner, but it's held by Ederson.
36' Villa are struggling to push forward into the final third at the minute and are giving the ball away in midfield a lot with sloppy passes which is making it easier for City.
34' McGinn gives the ball away in midfield and City work it out to Foden on the left again. He whips a dangerous cross into the six-yard box, but none of his team-mates have made a run and it goes straight out of play.
32' Foden cuts inside from the left again and he has time to pick his pass as he isn't closed down. He plays it to Rodri on the edge of the box and he drills a shot towards goal, but it hits Sterling before looping over the bar.
30' City are finding joy down the left wing again as Gundogan is given space to run into. He pulls it back to De Bruyne on the edge of the box, and he hits his shot first time, but it's well-blocked by Mings.
27' Grealish pulls away from Walker down the left and he lays the ball off to Traore in the box. He hits the shot first time from a tight angle at the near post and sends his effort into the side netting.
26' There are some half-hearted shouts from the Villa players for a penalty as they're claiming it hit Dias' arm when he blocked Grealish's cross. It hit him on his side though and the referee points for a corner.
24' City are still dominating possession and are patiently playing their way upfield as they try to open Villa up. Foden touches it onto Silva and he plays a first-time throughball into the box, but none of his team-mates have made the run.
22' De Bruyne flicks his header to Sterling who has a lot of space to run into down the right. He makes a run to the edge of the box as City get players forward in support, but his cross is blocked by Targett.
20' Walker has been struggling with a thy problem for a few minutes since he went into a challenge with Grealish. He tried to carry on, but he's gone to ground now to get some treatment. He's going to carry on though.
18' Since a 3-2 Premier League victory at Villa Park in September 2013, Villa are winless in their last nine meetings with City in all competitions (D1 L8).
16' City are still finding a lot of space down the left wing and Foden pulls it back for Cancelo. He plays a throughball forward for Gundogan to chase, but it's just overhit and he can't keep it in play.
14' City take a short corner and it's Gundogan that swings a cross into the box. Dias rises highest at the far post to head it back across goal, but he plays it behind Stones which gives Targett chance to clear it.
12' Cancelo does well to pull away from Cash on the left and he cuts it back to Foden from the byline. He takes a touch before hitting his shot across goal, but once again, he sees his effort blocked by Konsa.
10' Villa break on the counter and they have three against two City defenders. Watkins runs to the near post and nobody is picking up Grealish on the far side, but Barkley can't pick him out with his low cross.
8' De Bruyne fizzes the ball out to Foden on the left and it's a great run into the box as he dribbles past three Villa defenders. He keeps his shot low, but it's a good block by Konsa to deny him.
6' Barkley plays it out to Traore on the right and he goes around Cancelo and has space to run into. He cuts inside when he's closed down by three City defenders, but he overruns it in the end and Stones clears his lines.
4' GREAT SAVE! The corner is curled in for City and Rodri heads it back into the middle of the box. Silva hits it first time at the near post and Martinez blocks it from close range before Cash clears it off the line to stop Sterling having a tap-in.
2' City have kept the ball well since the kick-off and are patiently playing their way into the final third. It's worked out to Gundogan on the left who cuts inside to put the cross in, but it's cleared by Targett.
1' Silva gets the game underway for City!
The teams are out on the pitch now, with kick-off just moments away.
City have won 14 of their last 15 Premier League home games against Villa (L1), including each of the last 10 in a row by an aggregate score of 33-4.
Dean Smith makes just one change to the team that started Villa's last league match against United. Barkley comes in after returning from injury for El Ghazi who is on the bench.
Pep Guardiola makes three changes to the side that beat Crystal Palace on Sunday. Cancelo, Rodri and Foden all start, with Zinchenko, Fernandinho and Jesus dropping to the bench.
ASTON VILLA SUBS: Marvelous Nakamba, Tom Heaton, Keinan Davis, Anwar El Ghazi, Bjorn Engels, Jacob Ramsey, Neil Taylor, Ahmed El Mohamady, Frederic Guilbert.
ASTON VILLA STARTING XI (4-2-3-1): Emiliano Martinez; Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa Ngoyo, Tyrone Mings, Matt Targett; Douglas Luiz, Ross Barkley; Bertrand Traore, Jack Grealish, John McGinn; Ollie Watkins.
MANCHESTER CITY SUBS: Riyad Mahrez, Fernandinho, Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Ferran Torres, Eric Garcia, Adrian Bernabe, Zack Steffen, Benjamin Mendy.
MANCHESTER CITY STARTING XI (4-3-3): Ederson; Kyle Walker, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo; Kevin De Bruyne, Rodrigo, Ilkay Gundogan; Bernardo Silva, Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden.
City have the chance to go top of the league with a win today and are on a 15-match unbeaten run in all competitions (W12 D3), winning the last eight on the bounce. As for Villa, this is their first Premier League game since New Year's Day after a coronavirus outbreak at the club meant their fixtures against Tottenham and Everton were postponed. They've lost just one of their previous six league games (W3 D2), but that came in a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United last time out.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Premier League meeting between Manchester City and Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium!
