IT’S ANOTHER HUGE night in the Premier League title race.
As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the game. E-mail ben@thescore.ie, tweet @thescore_ie, post a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.
You may need to refresh the page for YouTube videos and other elements to display correctly.
Man City 4-0 Aston Villa
WE’VE ALREADY HAD a number of twists and turns in what has been a pulsating Premier League title race this season. Could there be one more tonight…?
When Liverpool took a 3-0 lead against Crystal Palace last night, it looked like the Reds were set for a routine win. However, two goals from substitute Dwight Gayle and one for Ireland’s Damien Delaney saw Brendan Rodgers’ men drop two huge points.
They still sit top of the table but only one point separates them and Man City, who face Aston Villa tonight in their penultimate league fixture before taking on West Ham on Sunday.
The staring line-ups look like this:
Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Kolarov, Javi Garcia, Toure, Milner, Silva, Nasri, Dzeko. Subs: Richards, Lescott, Negredo, Clichy, Fernandinho, Pantilimon, Jovetic.
Aston Villa: Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar, Baker, Clark, El Ahmadi, Westwood, Delph, Weimann, Bowery, Bertrand. Subs: Bacuna, Steer, Sylla, Tonev, Holt, Robinson, Grealish.
With Christian Benteke and Gabi Agbonlahor out injured, Paul Lambert goes with 22-year-old striker Jordan Bowery in attack. The former Chesterfield man has yet to score a Premier League goal during his short career.
From an Irish perspective, Ciaran Clark starts in what looks to be a five-man defence while promising 19-year-old winger Jack Grealish makes the bench after enjoying a spell on loan with Notts County earlier this season.
City, meanwhile, go with Edin Dzeko up front with Sergio Aguero injured again.
When these two sides met back in September Andreas Weimann scored a late winner to hand Villa a 3-2 win.
We’ll also be keeping one eye on the other game in England’s top flight. After an incredible turnaround, Sunderland sit safe in 17th and can face West Brom — who are just one point above them.
A win for either team would secure another season in the Premier League and a draw could effectively send Norwich down.
Players are on their way out and we’re about to kick-off here? Give us your predictions in the comments section…
Whoops!
We couldn't find this Tweet
Blue Moon ringing around Eastlands as we get underway. It’s raining pretty heavily.
David Silva attempts to take control of a pass in the Villa box but goes down after felling contact from Ashley Westwood. Referee Michael Oliver is having none of it.
Villa, as expected, have set up in a considerably defensive system with a bank of five, a bank of four and Bowery also getting behind the ball when City have possession.
Aleksandar Kolarov is played in by Dzeko and stings the hands of Brad Guzan from a narrow angle. The visitors then clear the danger
Vincent Kompany competes for a corner and gets his head to the ball ahead of Guzan but can’t direct it towards goal.
Well-worked move from City involving Milner and Zabaleta ends with Guzan pulling off a smart save from Yaya Toure.
GOAL! Sunderland have taken a lead against West Brom thanks to Jack Colback’s 13th-minute goal.
Villa down to ten men as Bowery has took a knock to the face and is receiving treatment.
25 minutes gone and Villa have so far stood strong in the face of multiple City attacks. Not sure how much longer that can keep it up though.
GOAL! Sorry, it’s in the Stadium of Light again where Fabio Borino has doubled the Black Cats’ advantage.
Back at the Etihad, Villa break down the left and get a cross in for Bowery. His contact is poor though, and the striker shoots well wide.
Villa break but it’s Weimann all on his own. The Austrian attacker sprints clear but chooses not to take on Zabaleta and fires at goal. It’s off-target but he has won his side a corner.
Some more last-ditch defending from Villa prevents David Silva from opening the scoring after Zabaleta once again gets space down the right.
Three minutes of time added on before half-time.
Yet again, City get joy on the right-hand side but when a ball is whipped in to the near post Nasri diverts it wide.
Half-time: Man City 0-0 Aston Villa
This is a little harsh from a City fan…
We’re back for the second half. No changes to either side.
City have a free-kick in a dangerous area after Clark fouls Toure. It’s Nasri to take but his delivery doesn’t beat the defender on the front post.
Dzeko is inches away from controlling a through-ball. He would have been clean through on goal.
Fabian Delphh has picked himself up a booking after a foul on Silva.
It’s Kolarov to take and the Serbian forces Guzan into a good stop.
Paul Lambert makes his first change of the night and it’s Bowery off in place of Leandro Bacuna with Weimann switching to centre forward.
Pellegrini then makes his own substitution – Stevan Jovetic replacing James Milner.
There’s a half-hour of football still to play.
GOAL! Man City 1-0 Aston Villa (Edin Dzeko)
For the umpteenth time tonight, Zabaleta gets free down the right and squares to Dzeko who has a simple finish. The Etihad erupts!
Here’s the goal:
GOAL! Man City 2-0 Aston Villa (Edin Dzeko)
A similar goal to the first with Zabaleta crossing low from wide. This time it’s Nasri with the initial shot but Guzan saves and Dzeko is on hand to follow up with his second of the night.
City are well and truly in control now. Ciaran Clark picks up a yellow card after conceding a free-kick on the edge of the box and Toure’s set-piece is deflected just wide.
Silva off, Fernandinho on.
Callum Robinson, a 19-year-old forward, is coming on for Ciaran Clark.
The man of the moment Dzeko is getting a super reception as he marches off. Alvaro Negredo takes the Bosnian’s place.
Here comes Ireland U21 international Jack Grealish. The teenager is hugely-talented and it’s great to see him make his Premier League debut tonight.
GOAL! Man City 3-0 Aston Villa (Stevan Jovetic)
GOAL! Man City 4-0 Aston Villa (Yaya Toure)
What a goal from the big Ivorian, who runs have the length of the field and holds off a couple of challenges before lashing the ball past Guzan.
Full-time: Man City 4-0 Aston Villa
Sunderland have beaten West Brom 2-0, meaning they are, quite incredibly, safe. Norwich, meanwhile, are on the brink of relegation to the Championship.
Villa held out for 64 minutes but once City got one, the floodgates opened. They’re sure on their way to a second title in three years now…
