Nathan Ake and Mateo Kovacic return - Man City fans pick line-up to face Aston Villa

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was adamant this week his team will win the Premier League this season.

His positivity was just the tonic for City fans who are in the unfamiliar position of having not won in the top flight for a month. Draws against Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have been mainly entertaining for the neutral but have seen the Blues drop to third.

After the late victory for Arsenal against Luton Town on Tuesday night, City find themselves six points behind the leaders with a game in hand. However, any preconceived idea they will automatically return to winning ways easily will need to be revisited considering their opponents.

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Aston Villa are just a point and a place behind City and are experiencing a brilliant campaign under Unai Emery. With the task at hand understood, here is how MEN Sport's Blues fans think Guardiola should line his team up tonight.

Goalkeeper - Ederson

There should be no doubts as to who starts in goal. Ederson is clearly first choice and shall remain in net for this fixture.

Defenders - Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake

Only the one defensive change to the side which drew with Spurs. Ake is recalled to the line-up in place of Josko Gvardiol as City fans revert to a back four. Still no place for John Stones though despite Guardiola declaring him 'ready' for the trip to Villa.

Midfielders - Julian Alvarez, Mateo Kovacic, Bernardo Silva

With Rodri suspended, the big question surrounds how City will cope without their talented defensive midfielder. Kovacic is recalled to feature in the holding role as the tried and tested partnership of Alvarez and