Match Preview: Villa v Man City

by Dek Hogan 

Who are we playing?
Manchester City on Sunday 8th November 2015 at 1.30pm

Where are we playing?
Villa Park, you know where it is.

Can I go?
Yep, tickets still on sale but don't leave it too long if you want to bag your favourite spot.

Easy to get to?
Doddle. We've got a shiny new station at New Street if you are getting the train in. With ticket barriers.

Can I watch it on telly?
Sky Sports.

Big game?
Huge.

1 point from the last 30 and just 4 points all season, we've never been in such disarray. Ever.

The latest guy to attempt to lead us out the Randy Lerner inflicted darkness is one Remi Garde.

Whaddya mean "who"?

Garde is best known on these shores for a brief spell playing at Arsenal where he hardly set the world alight. He enjoyed moderate success at Lyon, working on a tight budget but this task will be a whole new ball game for him and with the best will in the world, it'll take time for him to find his feet.

Scooby Doo

Trouble is folks, we haven't got time. Just to survive in the Premier League - and with the the new TV money coming in, there literally couldn't be a worse time to get relegated - we need results and we need them fast. If  the American dunderheads in charge of our club had the first Scooby Doo what they were doing they'd have appointed a "wartime consigliere".  Someone who knows this league and just what is required to battle out of it.

Instead we've got a stranger in a strange land, under immense pressure from the get-go and facing an almost impossible task.

Of all the times then to be facing a resurgent Manchester City. This could be really painful to watch

KMac's bizarre team selections in his brief spell in charge haven't helped us much. Probably best if we don't read too much into Garde's first team selection. It'll take him a while to assess what he's got.

Do Man City have any famous fans?

There's Ricky Hatton, who used to box a bit.

We've got fiddle playing scruffbox Nigel Kennedy off of Radio 3.

So we win.

Who's playing for us?
Gabby got a complete roasting from Sky's pundits the other might, so his "calf strain" should save him from further embarrassment. We'd fully expect to see Micah restored to the heart of the defence while Ayew should certainly get a recall. Carles Gil changed the game when he came on and must be in with a sniff

Who's playing for them?

It would probably suit us if Fabian Delph started, if only because it'll get the crowd vocal and rocking. You are bringing a snake, right?

Any useless stats?
Of course, here you go:

• Man City have beaten us 69 times while we have 57 wins. There have been 40 draws.

• We last won this one in 2013, Karim El Ahmadi, Leandro Bacuna and Andi Weimann did the damage as we robbed it 3-2.

• Late goals from Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero broke our hearts in this fixture last season.

• George Johnson ran riot, scoring four as we thrashed City 7-1 on 1st December 1900.

Prediction
Going for a 5-1 City win