Match Preview: Man City are coming...

Who are we playing?
Manchester City

Where are we playing?
Villa Park

Can I go?
You can but don't hang about. Most areas have "amber" availability, so get in quick if you want to pick where you sit. Some sections, such as North Stand Lower have sold out.

How many are they bringing?
They've sold all of their 2,900 allocation. We charged them £41 for an adult ticket.

Bingo caller at TV-am

Can I watch it on the telly?
Of course not! It's a Saturday three o'clocker! Extended highlights will be on Sky Sports on Saturday night and you can catch a flavour of the game on Match of the Day. As we're playing Man City, we might not even be last this week.

Do Manchester City have any famous fans?
Well there's that John Stapleton bloke off of breakfast telly and of course Noel out of Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. And Bernard Manning. Except he's dead. Anyway, we've got Tom Hanks out of The Polar Express. And Noele Gordon off Crossroads. Except she's dead. We win anyway.

Who's playing for us?
With Big Chris Benteke likely on the missing list for six weeks, Libor Kozak should get a Premier League start. Lambo reckons most of the other walking wounded that missed out on Spurs are fit so Gabby and Weimann should return. Ashley Westwood won't recover in time though. Mister Lambert will have to decide on his full backs, having dropped Lowton from Premier League action last week, while Joe Bennett will be anxious to see if he's done enough in the cup game to keep Tony Moon out. Fabian Delph should be back. We gave Bacuna our Player of the Week so we'll be annoyed if he doesn't feature.

Who's playing for them?
Aguero doesn't play, which is one less thing to worry about. David Silva will also miss the trip. Whoever they pick, they'll be scary. Despite their fringe players having a decent run out in the cup, it's hard to see the starting line up differing greatly from the one which ran riot against United. Clichy's fit though and might squeak in at Kolarov's expense.

Any useless stats?
Of course, here you go:

Manchester City have won six of the last seven Barclays Premier League encounters between the teams.

Apart from us, only Sunderland haven't managed a single point at home. Sunderland sacked their manager.

Despite Joe Hart getting pilloried for his form. Man City have kept three clean sheets in their last four Premier League away games.

We haven't kept a clean sheet in the league at Villa Park in 2013.

The last time we met in this tournament was in the 5th Round of the League Cup in January 1994 with Villa winning 2-1

Prediction:
Call us wildly optimistic, but if the Villa that played against Arsenal and Chelsea turn up, we've got half a chance here. What's important here is the quality of the performance as much as the result. If we press the opposition on the ball and if we take our chances when they come, then a high scoring draw could be on the cards. Bear in mind that we predicted loads of goals in the Norwich game before you put your beer money on it though.

Nicklas Helenius signing confirmed by Aston Villa

Aston Villa have confirmed the signing of beanpole striker Nicklas Helenius as Paul Lambert continues to transform his squad.

The Danish international signed a three-year deal to 2016 and Paul Lambert is delighted to have captured the 6'5" tall 22 year old.

"Nicklas is a young lad but also a full international with a good goalscoring record in Denmark and he'll prove himself in the Premier League," Lambert said.

"The opportunity will be there for him, as it will be for the rest of the lads, and he has all the attributes to go and take it.

"He wants to go and make a name and a career for himself and he's made a good start at Aalborg. It's a case of continuing to work hard and building on that and I believe he can.

"He's a good player and the potential is there for him to grow into the team and grow with the team. He'll definitely be able to give the team a hand."

listen to ‘Helenius signs’ on Audioboo

"This is a big opportunity for me, a big dream to play in the Premier League with a club with the history of Aston Villa and I'm very excited," Helenius said.

"I know we have a young team and I know we came through a test last season and got better as a team over the course of the campaign. I watched the game against Liverpool at Anfield and was very impressed by the way the team played. As we got more confidence in the game, we became better and better and won 3-1 with some great attacking football.

"In Gabby Agbonlahor and Andi Weimann, for example, we have good players who have great speed and energy and a real love for playing for Villa. You can see this and you can also see the strength and quality of Christian Benteke. It is really exciting to be a part of this and I'm looking forward so much to pulling on the shirt and getting to know my new team-mates.

"I've been to see the stadium and it's tremendous. The atmosphere inside Villa Park can be incredible, I know this from watching games on TV from Denmark where the Premier League, obviously, is really big. I've watched Premier League football since I was eight years old.

"I was so inspired that I used to go by myself to an empty ground in my home town of Godthaab - a town of 900 people - and just kick the ball around, practise the skills and shoot. That was my whole life growing up.

"I learnt a lot over the past few seasons with Kent Nielsen as my manager. He was a player here at Villa and, while I have always been a good finisher, he taught me to be more aggressive and determined when I don't have the ball. He showed me how to work hard and this will help me in this league.

"I thought that maybe when I was 28 or something I might eventually be able to move to the Premier League having made my mark in Danish football but now I have my chance and I think this is the right club for me with all the other young players in the side who want to do well and achieve something together.

"I want to show the fans that I'm hungry for this and that I'm very proud to be a Villa player."

Jores Okore signs for Aston Villa

Jores Okore has signed for Lambert's Lions

The 20-year-old defender underwent a medical today and signed a four-year deal.


 "We're a young team and we played some really good football over the second half of last season which is something we want to build on now as players, as a team and as a club," Okore said.

"I know there is great potential in the team. I have watched many of our games because the Premier League is very popular back in Denmark.

"I know also that we have a good coach and this is a really good club. This is the right club for me, I feel it straight away.

"We have a lot to show and we have a long way to go.
"It was really nice to hear some very nice comments from Martin Laursen. It means a lot."

Yea its official i'm now an Aston villa player!! Looking forward to it!! http://t.co/fozcyqGbxD

— Jores Okore (@JoresOkore) June 13, 2013

Thanks for the welcoming villa fans looking forward to play for u guys thanks a lot #avfc

— Jores Okore (@JoresOkore) June 13, 2013

Paul Lambert added "He's only 20 years of age and that's good but he's also an international player at a really young age and he's played Champions League football as well, which is testament to his potential.

"Jores has played in big games but he's a very humble lad and he will be a really good addition to our team and to our squad. I'm pleased that we've signed a player of his stature, for he is someone who can come in and make a huge impact.

"There's a great opportunity for him here and the competition for places is something that's really important. You want to try to have that throughout the team.

Okore v Chelsea from Morten Kaltoft on Vimeo.

More bread for Baker as he signs new deal.

Aston Villa defender Nathan Baker has signed a new three-year deal after breaking into the first team under Paul Lambert.

The 22-year-old academy graduate at Villa, made 30 appearances for the first team in what was an eventful and fraught season for the back line.

"I'm really happy to have signed and for my future to be with Villa," said Baker.

"It's an exciting time and, because I've come through the academy as well, it's something that's really special to me, something that hopefully I can use as an inspiration in the future.

"We were probably one of the youngest squads in the Premier League last season and we felt that we got stronger and stronger as the season went on.

"The fans could see the progress we were making and they got behind us really strongly. That was felt very keenly by the players.

"Hopefully, next season we can keep improving and we can be even better. I think things are in place that we can really do that."

Villa manager Paul Lambert says Baker is already an integral part of their squad.

"For any player here at Aston Villa, the goal is always to strive to be the best you can and to keep improving as an individual within the team," Lambert said.

"Nathan has demonstrated courage and real willing and he's contributed to the team and these qualities will underpin his efforts going into the new season."

@bakesy23 congrats geez

— Derrick Williams (@DerickWilliams_) June 6, 2013

In other news, Villa are in the process of snapping up Liam Prynn from Torquay United.

Gulls' head-honcho Andrew Candy told the Herald Express: "As I understand it, the terms have been agreed, and all parties are happy about the situation.

"We are certainly excited - the deal is good news for the club, and for Liam and his family.

"But it's good for our other youth players, who see that things like this can happen to a youngster at Torquay United."

A clue to the signing was on Pryn's twitter page last month:

Thanks for the weekend! #AVFC #astonvilla
— Liam Prynn (@prynner6) May 21, 2013

Villa v Chelsea as it was tweeted...

The Joy of Six, Villa v Sunderland as it was tweeted...

Man United v Villa as it was tweeted...

Villa v Fulham as it was tweeted...

Villa v Liverpool Easter Sunday

The Enemy Below...

Mildly important match next Saturday...

Reading v Aston Villa as it was tweeted

You Stupid Boy

Given the average age of our first team squad, you'd think using Dad's Army analogies to comment on a match would be well off the agenda, and yet we've managed it.

Sometimes, a picture paints a thousand words...

Villa risk fan revolt as Weimann talks stall

Randy Lerner is risking a major revolt amongst Aston Villa fans after contract talks with Andreas Weimann broke down.

The emergence of Austrian international Andi has been one of the few bright spots in a miserable season at Villa Park and Holte Enders will be horrified at the prospect of losing him.

Weimann is rumoured to be on around £15,000 a week but sources close to the player say they are “disappointed” with the fresh terms so far on offer He has around 18 months left on his current deal, but Villa are unlikely to let this run down and lose the talented forward man on a Bosman, so if a deal can't be brokered, his summer exit seems assured, whether or not Villa secure their Premier League status.

Villa boss Paul Lambert remarked “We’re still talking at the minute and seeing how it’s gone on.”

Villa v West Ham as it was tweeted...

Maybe we're all worrying far too much...

Lambert speaks after Everton game

listen to ‘Mark Regan talks to a dejected Paul Lambert after Villa pegged back at the death at Everton’ on Audioboo

Everton v Villa as it was tweeted...

Villa v Newcastle as it was tweeted...

Three points tonight please Mister Lambert: No pressure