Charlie Nicholas discusses Aston Villa ‘issues’ ahead of Manchester City clash

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Aston Villa have found their feet following a tricky start to Premier League life but Dean Smith and co are preparing for their biggest test yet.

Sky Sports pundit Charlie Nicholas has given his verdict on Aston Villa ahead of their Premier League clash with Manchester City this weekend, praising their attack-mindedness but believing they have “issues” at full-back.

Dean Smith’s charges have found their feet in the top flight following a tricky start to the season and have picked up seven points from their past three games, plus are unbeaten in four, having defeated Brighton in the League Cup third round before the Burnley draw at Villa Park.

Villa’s tally of 15 league goals scored is the highest outside the Premier League top four – level with Tottenham – but they have also shipped 13 goals, and in his Sky Sports column, Nicholas wondered what Smith would do given “the situation ahead of him” as the Villans head to the Etihad Stadium.

“I like Aston Villa going forward, but there is no doubt in my head that they have issues in the full-back positions,” Nicholas wrote on Sky Sports. “Dean Smith is attack-minded – they went to Arsenal and should have got something. But he will know the situation ahead of him here, but what does he do?

“Raheem Sterling is hot again, Gabriel Jesus is firing and David Silva is back to his best while, Kevin De Bruyne is superb. Pep Guardiola got angry with them at a similar time last season and they kicked on big style. They made a couple of points on Liverpool last week, but people were writing them off a couple of weeks ago. Manchester City will take care of themselves – there are goals in every department. It is a free swing for Villa but one that could land them in some trouble.”

Villa defender James Chester is available for the first time this season, while Jonathan Kodjia and Kortney Hause are also fit again – Jota is Smith’s only absentee as he continues his recovery after a hernia operation (BBC Sport).

Victory for the Villans would make history of the wrong kind for Pep Guardiola, who has never lost back-to-back home league games in his managerial career (BBC Sport).