Man City v Aston Villa team news - 1 doubt and 8 outs as Emery gives Watkins update

Aston Villa travel to the Etihad on Wednesday night to face the champions Manchester City in the Premier League.

Man City go in to the game in third having been held to a goalless draw by Arsenal on Sunday. Villa had a day more for recovery after beating Wolves thanks to goals from Moussa Diaby and Ezri Konsa.

Villa trail the Citizens by five points but ultimately their goal is to qualify for the Champions League and currently they're three points ahead of Tottenham Hotspur. The title rice is quite close and so Man City will be hoping for a slip up from both Arsenal and Liverpool.

City have won 17 out of the 18 home league games they've played against Villa, with the visitors last winning in April 2007. Villa haven't done a league double over the opposition since 1963 but after their 1-0 win in December, they have an opportunity to do so.

The midweek scheduling of fixtures highlights that we are well and truly in to the business end of the campaign now. Here's the latest injury and team news ahead of kick-off.

Aston Villa team news

Ollie Watkins has been ruled out having been substituted in the win against Wolves at the weekend. The England striker sustained a hamstring issue and he that prompted him to undergo further assessment on Sunday.

Unai Emery has also had another decision made for him on Jacob Ramsey. He has a foot injury that has kept him out for the last couple of matches. Ramsey nearly featured in the squad at the weekend but Wednesday is too soon for him.

"They will not be available for tomorrow. They have small injuries," Emery told Birmingham Live on Tuesday. "Jacob Ramsey is not getting better like he wants. We are not in a hurry with him. For tomorrow he will not be available.

"With Ollie, it is more or less the same. Ollie's injury is a small injury, with some days rest, maybe he could be available for the next match. We have had a lot of bad circumstances with injured players, but we are always trying to be positive. "The players in the squad are there because we believe [in them], and we believe in our capacity to respond."

John McGinn serves the final game of his three-match suspension after being red carded in the defeat to Spurs back in March. Matty Cash is out too after he suffered an injury whilst away on international duty. Poland qualified for EURO 2024 after beating Wales but Cash played no part having suffered a hamstring injury in their semi-final match against Estonia.

Boubacar Kamara, Emi Buendia and Tyrone Mings are all long-term absentees. Kamara suffered an ACL injury in February which forced him to undergo surgery whilst Buendia and Mings suffered serious knee injuries in August, and are still in the recovery phase.

Man City team news

The Citizens don't have much of an injury list but they do have some concerns ahead of Wednesday's game. Ederson could come back in to contention having missed the last few weeks with a hamstring injury. Steffan Ortega has deputised in his absence but the Brazil goalkeeper could give Pep Guardiola something to think about with a late fitness test expected.

England international Kyle Walker has a hamstring injury. He wasn't in the match day squad against Arsenal, and isn't expected to play until next week.