Manchester City had a confident win against Greek side AEK in the Champions League, demolishing their opponents 5-1 at the Etihad Stadium.
This victory serves as an excellent warm-up ahead of a tough away match against Aston Villa. Enzo Maresca's side will now receive a massive boost with Erling Haaland fully fit and ready to make an impact at Villa Park.
The Norwegian was kept on the bench for the entirety of the last match, allowing him to rest after a minor injury. Maresca has confirmed that the forward will start this weekend's fixture.
He’s ready to start the match on Saturday. We had five or six players on the bench who were ready to come on, but at the same time, they got some rest, so we’re pleased with that.
Also rested during the win over AEK were Jeremy Doku, Illiman Ndiaye, Marc Guehi, and Ayoub Boudadi. The freshness of these key players will be invaluable for the Citizens.
Historically, Manchester City have struggled when facing Unai Emery's team away from home, with their last victory at Villa Park dating back to December 2021.
