There have been some signs of improvement with three clean sheets in Villa’s last four games, but only against Crystal Palace and West Brom (both struggling for goals in the Premier League) and Wycombe in the home replay of the FA Cup third round.
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Aston Villa manager Remi Garde has defended the club’s board against criticism that they are lacking in football experience.
AEK Athens had shown an interest in the winger but Garde admitted: “I think he (N’Zogbia) has chosen to stay”. “The most important thing is the first step, and we have done that, we are in the first final”.
Fernandinho couldn’t help but recall City’s double-winning form two years ago in Pellegrini’s first season at the Etihad.
I expect us to play a very strong team today and try to push for a win rather than a replay.
De Bruyne’s goal and assist won the tie for City, but the night ended with a bitter taste for the club as the Belgian wideman fell awkwardly and had to be stretchered off with suspected knee and ankle ligament damage.
“He’s upset all the fans of Aston Villa, he played a lot of years there also”. City progressed with a 4-3 aggregate win after recovering from 3-1 down with the aid of De Bruyne’s disputed goal, which was allowed to stand despite Raheem Sterling running the ball out of play.
City are coming into this weekend on the back of a win in the Capital One Cup Semi-Final against Everton, which will give them a huge boost going into this weekend.
City manager Manuel Pellegrini brings five youngsters from the EDS squad along for the ride, including Nigerian starlet Kelechi Iheanacho who is seeking more playing time and another FA Cup start having played alongside Sergio Aguero last time out against Norwich. “I trust in my squad and I am sure we will be competitive”, he said. “Everton had just one shot in the second half so I don’t think we are in the final because of that refereeing decision”. These two sides faced once before, in November where a draw occurred in Birmingham, and that may have been an anomaly for City, who had seen four out of their last five contests between the two go their way.
He told a news conference: “It’s not a target that we have in mind at the moment because it is not a realistic target”.
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Manchester City are without midfielder Kevin De Bruyne for their FA Cup fourth-round trip to Aston Villa. If we fail tomorrow, we finish talking about that.
