Bouncing back: reeling Villa head to Manchester

March 4, 2009 by Chris Nee
Filed under: Aston Villa, Match Previews 

Over at The Offside, where I took over from Martin a few months back, I’ve somehow managed to prepare a match preview for every game (except CSKA Moscow away, which I couldn’t be arsed with). But nobody wants to listen to me twice a week during this busy time of the season, so Mart and I thought it’d be good to give everyone a change of scenery before the Villa boys head off to Dubai for the same purpose.

Following a disastrous collapse at home to Stoke City on Sunday, Martin O’Neill faces possibly the biggest challenge of his tenure when he tries to pick the team up for yet another pivotal match. At the time of writing, Arsenal – our main competition for that all-important fourth position – are winning 3-1 at the Hawthorns, so the chances are they will be just three points behind Villa when we step out at Manchester City tomorrow night.

Make no mistake, equalling or bettering Arsenal’s result this week is absolutely critical. To do that, we’re really going to have to see what our boys are made of.

Team News

We’re in pretty decent nick for tomorrow’s match, all told. Emile Heskey looks very likely to miss out with an Achilles injury, but I’d hazard a guess that John Carew would’ve been given a start following Sunday’s stunning strike. Martin Laursen is well on the road to recovery, and Wilfred Bouma played 90 minutes for the reserves last night, but both have missed this one by a few weeks.

Nigel Reo-Coker, now fit, or Craig Gardner must surely be in line for a start at right back after Carlos Cuellar’s appalling performance against Stoke. Apart from that, I don’t anticipate any changes, so Luke Young, Curtis Davies and Zat Knight will form the back line with Ashley Young, Gareth Barry, Stiliyan Petrov and James Milner in midfield.

Micah Richards is a “major doubt” thanks to a hamstring injury, but the big news from Eastlands this week has been knee injuries picked up by Craig Bellamy and Robinho against West Ham United at the weekend. Obviously this is positive news for Villa, being City’s in-form striker and creator-in-chief. But it’s important not to get carried away. They might not have clicked, but Manchester City still have players capable of hurting teams.

Valeri Bojinov, injured warming up at Villa Park in August, could make his return.

Men to Watch

Following a great goal on Sunday, and his general quality all season, I’m going to say City need to keep an eye out for Stiliyan Petrov tomorrow night. He’s more than capable of bossing the midfield, and can link up beautifully with Gareth Barry to provide the base for Villa’s attacks. Petrov blocks and intercepts like nobody’s business, and plays with more urgency than a lot of his colleagues. He can also almost match Barry for passing quality. Great player, I’m chuffed he’s found his form.

For City, Stephen Ireland is a real shining light. He’s got plenty of goals in him, and has a creative touch far beyond his years. I’d love to have him at Villa, and it’s essential that we contain him at Eastlands tomorrow.

Prediction

Well, we’ve won in the face of all sorts of adversity on the road this season, and I’ve got a strange feeling we might just sneak it. Villa are vulnerable to clinical, powerful finishers like Bellamy and skilled individuals such as Robinho. With those two absent, we might just be able to hold our own at the back and benefit on the break. 1-0 Villa.


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