Premier League preview: Aston Villa v Manchester City

Sunday, kick-off 3pm

Celebrity predictions from The New Football Pools' pundits:
John Barnes: Home win. Tony Cascarino: Home win. Graham Poll: Home win

Team news:
Aston Villa are set to hand a debut to right-back Luke Young. Central defender Carlos Cuellar, who joined Villa from Rangers earlier this week in a £7.8million deal, has a calf problem and is unlikely to be fit for another week. Villa also have an injury doubt over midfielder Steve Sidwell, their £5million summer signing from Chelsea, who damaged his calf in training.
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes will be without suspended captain Richard Dunne, who was sent off at Middlesbrough on the final weekend of last season. Bulgaria striker Valeri Bojinov is pushing for a place in the starting line-up after his recovery from a long-term knee injury. City are short of options in attack as Benjani Mwaruwari and Darius Vassell are injured while Jo is part of Brazil's Olympic squad.

Stats:
Last season: Aston Villa 1 Man City 1, Man City 1 Aston Villa 0
Last five league matches: Aston Villa W W D L D; Man City W W L L L
Match odds: H 10-11 A 5-2 D 11-5
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)

Match facts from Opta:
Villa have won only one of their last eight opening day games
Villa have only kept one clean sheet in their last 12 league games at home (v Bolton).
The Villans have conceded exactly two goals in their last three league games.
Villa's 38 league games produced 122 goals last season, an average of 3.2 per game.
City have conceded 13 goals in their last four Premier League away games.
City have gone seven games without a clean sheet, and have lost five of those seven matches.
Ashley Young has scored four goals in Villa's last five league games.
Villa have lost eight of their last 11 top-flight meetings with Manchester City.
City have won at Villa Park four times in the Premier League era, only against Southampton have they been as effective away from home.
Villa have won only two games at home to City in the Premier League. Of sides they have played more than 10 times, only Manchester United (also two) have been as difficult opponents.
John Carew scored the first goal five times last season, only three players did better than that.
Aston Villa scored the most headed goals in 2007-08 (16).
August is Manchester City's best month in the Premier League since 2003, with a win percentage of 50%.

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