Manchester City will be looking to consolidate the message last week’s derby destruction sent out when they face Aston Villa on Saturday.
After an unconvincing defeat to Cardiff earlier in the season it appears City have hit top gear before any of their title rivals.
However, City will be looking to improve on their recent away form in the Premier League where they have only won three of their last ten league games.
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini dismissed claims that his side will be looking past Villa towards the midweek clash with Bayern Munich.
“We are all thinking about Aston Villa. They are a strong team, and we will need to play well if we want to win. “
Pellegrini told reporters that City will be without David Silva and Sergio Aguero for this weekend’s game.
“Aguero finished the last derby in the last play with a small pain; I think it was nothing important but I think it was a risk a risk for him to play three games in the same week,” he said.
“We will leave him for next Wednesday but he will be absolutely fine.”
City have scored more Premier League goals against Aston Villa than against any other side in the top-flight, scoring 57 times when playing against the Villans.
New signing Alvaro Negredo has settled quickly into English football after scoring twice since his summer move.
However, after 12 goals in three games, the Spanish striker is not getting carried away.
“Villa are a good team with lots of talented, young players and we will have to play at the same level we showed against United and Wigan if we are going to take three points,” the Striker told the club’s website.
“But we are confident in our own abilities-we’re doing fine, playing well and now the goal is to continue to play well.”
Aston Villa will be without their star striker, Christian Benteke, who will be side-lined for up to six weeks after picking up an injury, last weekend in their 1-0 over manager Paul Lambert’s old club, Norwich City.
Image courtesy of MCFC via YouTube , with thanks
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