Manchester City head to Villa Park on Sunday determined to finally end their recent hoodoo at Aston Villa. City arrive on the back of a comfortable Champions League victory, a 2–0 win at Villarreal courtesy of first-half goals from Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva. Haaland has been irresistible this season, failing to score in only one match and contributing 24 goals for club and country.

Aston Villa come into the fixture in low spirits after a rotated side were beaten 2–1 by Go Ahead Eagles in the Europa League, a result that halted a five-match winning run across all competitions. The Midlands club must be more stubborn than they were in Deventer if they are to challenge City and push for a move into the top half of the table.

Villa have a largely healthy squad but will be without Youri Tielemans following the calf injury he suffered in mid-September; he is unlikely to return before the November international break. Andrés García will miss out, and Lucas Digne is a significant doubt after sitting out the trip to the Netherlands with an ankle problem picked up at Tottenham Hotspur.

Emery is expected to pick a side similar to the team that beat Spurs, with Ollie Watkins a possible recall for Donyell Malen. Evann Guessand, who scored his first Villa goal midweek, could continue on the right. Ian Maatsen is set to replace the injured Digne, while Morgan Rogers, John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara and Matty Cash are likely to start after only brief cameos in the Europa League.

Aston Villa predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): Martínez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen; Kamara, Onana; Guessand, Rogers, McGinn; Watkins.

Pep Guardiola has confirmed Rodri and Abdukodir Khusanov will miss the visit to Villa. Nico González, who suffered a foot injury against Villarreal, will be assessed nearer kick-off. Guardiola is expected to rotate his XI, with Tijjani Reijnders, Phil Foden and Nico O’Reilly pushing for returns.

Man City predicted lineup (4-1-4-1): Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Kovačić; Silva, Reijnders, Foden, Doku; Haaland.

Villa have a good recent home record against City, but City are favourites. Villa should test the visitors, but City’s firepower, led by Haaland, could prove decisive.

Jack Grealish has begun his Everton loan with encouraging form, but he will not be available for Saturday’s fixture against Manchester City. The reason is straightforward: Grealish is on loan from Manchester City and Premier League rules prevent loaned players from facing their parent clubs.

The restriction applies across the Premier League and the FA Cup, meaning Grealish must watch from the stands for this Manchester City meeting. Everton will hope to have him back in the squad for the following weekend when they host Tottenham Hotspur.

Loan regulations vary by competition. In the Carabao Cup, clubs can agree whether a loan player is permitted to play for the borrowing side. Everton have no chance to field Grealish against Manchester City in that competition however, having already been knocked out after a 2–0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

UEFA takes a different approach for the Champions League. There are no restrictions on loan players facing their parent clubs in continental competition, with UEFA ruling that team selection cannot be limited in that way. That rule does not affect Grealish and Everton this season, but it could become relevant in other loan situations. The draft notes one example where Manchester City might later encounter this scenario if they are drawn against Inter, where centre back Manuel Akanji is enjoying a loan away from Pep Guardiola’s side.

The simple outcome for Saturday is that Grealish will be unavailable for Everton versus Manchester City due to the Premier League loan rule, with the possibility of a return to Everton’s lineup once the restriction no longer applies.

Manchester City resume Premier League duty at the Etihad after the international break with the chance to move to the top of the table. City sit fifth, three points behind leaders Arsenal, and arrive having come close to defeating Arsenal at the Emirates last month. This is not being billed as a vintage Pep Guardiola side, but Erling Haaland’s form remains decisive.

Everton travel in reasonable shape after a last-gasp victory over the unbeaten Crystal Palace two weeks ago. David Moyes continues to receive praise for his work on Merseyside, but Everton must cope without talisman Jack Grealish. Grealish “picked the perfect time to score his first goal for the club against Palace” and is ineligible to face his parent club due to Premier League rules.

Haaland was released from international duty earlier than expected, having continued his excellent start to the season with a hat-trick against Israel. He should be fresh for Saturday’s game, where an injury-hit Everton defence awaits. Omar Marmoush is back in training after a spell out through injury and Rayan Cherki is also back in action for the hosts.

City have more immediate fitness concerns. Rodri pulled out of the Spain squad after picking up a knock in the win over Brentford and Nico González will likely start at the base of midfield in the absence of the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner. Defenders Abdukodir Khusanov and Rayan Aït-Nouri are likely to miss out, while John Stones played twice for England over the break.

Predicted Man City lineup (4-1-4-1): Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Nico; Bernardo, Foden, Reijnders, Doku; Haaland.

Everton will reshuffle without Grealish. Tyler Dibling could come in down the right and shift Iliman Ndiaye into Grealish’s role. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall will continue to operate as Everton’s all-action No. 10. Michael Keane is set to miss out through injury and Jarrad Branthwaite’s long absence requires a defensive reshuffle; Seamus Coleman may come in at right back, moving Jake O’Brien into the heart of the backline.

Predicted Everton lineup (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Coleman, O’Brien, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner; Dibling, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Beto.

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