Aston Villa vs. Manchester City – English Premier League, April 21, 2021

Aston Villa has had the benefit of some much-needed rest before taking on the champions-elect on Wednesday. With no Premier League game at the weekend, Dean Smith’s players should be ready to go here.

Manchester City also had no league game but lost its FA Cup semifinal against Chelsea to wreck any dreams of a famous quadruple.

With Villa not having played for a week and a half before this, many fans will like the look of the odds for a home win.

Manchester City can never be disregarded, though. The league title is not quite won yet, so we should expect Pep Guardiola’s side to come out as impressively as normal.

Villa was unable to record a memorable double in its last game against Liverpool. The West Midlands club announced the champions’ problems near the beginning of the season when it won 7-2 at home. But it couldn’t repeat the trick – or get anywhere near – last time out, as it fell to a 2-1 defeat at Anfield.

Although at one point Dean Smith’s side looked as though it might even be able to push for an unlikely European place, the mid-table position Villa currently finds itself in should still be seen as a huge achievement. It was almost relegated last season and has had to deal with many injuries throughout this campaign.

Manchester City has gotten over the huge disappointment of finishing so far behind Liverpool last season by coming through a sticky patch earlier in the campaign – and now it looks like it will lift the Premier League trophy in May. What happens after that may be up for the governing bodies to decide.

As far as this week goes, City should be able to travel to Villa Park without too many injury worries. Sergio Aguero may have to miss out as he comes to the end of his time at the Etihad because of a knock. But Pep Guardiola should be able to rotate the rest of his squad in any way he feels like on Wednesday.

I was getting quite tempted by an Aston Villa draw here – if not a home win – when I saw the length of the odds. But that was before I was alerted to the number of injuries in the Villa midfield – specifically its attacking playmakers. That should be enough to make it too difficult for a home win to become a reality.

It looks like it will be another three points for City.