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Villa v Man City team news: Haaland + Manzambi start, Foden sub

24 October 2026 340 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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There are only four Premier League matches on Saturday, but there are some tasty-looking fixtures among them.

We start with an intriguing game at Villa Park, as the resurgent hosts – unbeaten in six competitive matches, scoring 18 goals along the way – entertain the Premier League leaders.

Aston Villa v Manchester City kicks off at 12.30pm BST.

TEAM NEWS

Both sides make four changes from their UEFA Champions League wins in midweek.

Johan Manzambi is fit to start for the hosts after missing out against Viking, while Ian Maatsen makes his first post-injury appearance.

Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara also come back in after midweek breathers.

Emiliano Buendia, Tyrone Mings, Ross Barkley and Ibrahim Mbaye make way. Buendia loses his ever-present starter status in the Premier League as a result.

It was pretty much signposted by Enzo Maresca anyway but the big City news is that Erling Haaland starts. The Norwegian limped off the field at the end of the Gameweek 7 victory over Ipswich Town and was then an unused substitute against AEK Athens.

Iliman Ndiaye, Jeremy Doku and Marc Guehi all return to the side after rests on Tuesday night.

Midweek hat-trick hero Phil Foden is the big-name casualty, dropping to the bench. Floyd Samba, Allan and Rico Lewis are less surprising omissions after rare starts in the Champions League.

Nico O’Reilly and Mateo Kovacic shake off injuries to make the bench but Matheus Nunes misses out.

LINE-UPS

Aston Villa XI: Suzuki, Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen, Kamara, Gomes, Alysson, Manzambi, McGinn, Jackson.

Subs: Bizot, Mings, Barkley, Buendia, Mbaye, Bogarde, Goretzka, Madjo, Hemmings.

Manchester City XI: Donnarumma, Khusanov, Dias, Guéhi, Gvardiol, Anderson, Fernández, Ndiaye, Cherki, Doku, Haaland.

Subs: Rulli, Kovačić, Aït-Nouri, Reis, Bouaddi, O’Reilly, Foden, McAidoo, Lewis.

LIVE GAMEWEEK 8 PAGE + MATCH CENTRE

Villa v City

You can follow all the day’s action via the Live Gameweek page, which you can find in the FPL Toolkit section.

Here you can track the scores, watch the defensive contribution (DefCon) points roll in, see who the leading players are for xG and more as the games play out.

And there’s also the all-new Match Centre to explore. Here, you’ll find stats, heatmaps, rolling xG graphs and more on every Premier League fixture.

A lot is free for all, with Chief Scout Members getting full access.

340 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. GENERATION X
    6 hours, 41 mins ago

    Starting to regret Manzambi. Lack of munutes and too many Villa mid options plus Jackson obvious pick from them

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    1. fusen
      6 hours, 40 mins ago

      He got absolutely smashed in the balls, he'd have probably managed his usual 70-80 minutes if not I reckon

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    2. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      6 hours, 40 mins ago

      Rfeflect on this state,ment in about 6 game weeks.

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    3. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      6 hours, 40 mins ago

      How long have you had him?

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      1. GENERATION X
        6 hours, 37 mins ago

        Not long but I he has only past 71 mins once in 6 games

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  2. JBG
    6 hours, 40 mins ago

    If there ever was a time for a Gabriel goal and Arsenal to concede... this GW.

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  3. Weasel Boy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    6 hours, 40 mins ago

    Cali benched.
    Great

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  4. JBG
    6 hours, 37 mins ago

    Do something Doku, goal or assist

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  5. Feanor
    6 hours, 37 mins ago

    If the Liverpool game is called off I get Gvardiol and Egan off the bench for Isak and Gross.

    But I have both Brighton keepers.

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  6. Feanor
    6 hours, 37 mins ago

    Anderson yellow

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  7. Assisting the assister
    6 hours, 36 mins ago

    Cherki owners who you swapping him with - what a useless pick. Can’t believe I transferred him in twice this season and did nothing.

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    1. Bobby Digital
      6 hours, 32 mins ago

      Barcola

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    2. Josh.E
      6 hours, 32 mins ago

      Mbuemo or Tavernier

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    3. Dubem_FC
      6 hours, 12 mins ago

      Foden

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    4. Count of Monte Hristo
      6 hours, 11 mins ago

      I did Palmer + Cherki > Rogers + Mbeumo pre-deadline.

      Barcola is a nice pick.

      Last week a few numpties here said how bad Mbeumo and Barcola were, clueless.

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  8. Feanor
    6 hours, 32 mins ago

    City’s crossing is crap

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  9. el polako
    6 hours, 32 mins ago

    Really need Everton to score.

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  10. g40steve
    6 hours, 31 mins ago

    City last pass has been shite

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    1. el polako
      6 hours, 31 mins ago

      They need to spend big this winter.

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  11. Bobby Digital
    6 hours, 29 mins ago

    C'mon Haaland, get that brace!

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    1. Haa-lala-land
      6 hours, 26 mins ago

      Come on Jackson, one more for the match ball

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      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        6 hours, 22 mins ago

        He's been subbed off 6 mins or so ago

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        1. Haa-lala-land
          6 hours, 14 mins ago

          🙁

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  12. lilmessipran
    6 hours, 28 mins ago

    Wouldn't be surprised if one or more of Pedro, Palmer or Rogers misses out on the 11.

    https://x.com/Teamnewsandtix/status/2113974560164811019

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    1. JBG
      6 hours, 25 mins ago

      He tweeted that before Calafiori news tbf

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      1. lilmessipran
        6 hours, 23 mins ago

        asset, multiple games.. chelsea goalscoring odds down by 0.23 in the last 5-6 hours.

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        1. lilmessipran
          6 hours, 23 mins ago

          assets*

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          1. Deulofail
            6 hours, 10 mins ago

            'Assets' is just what people call FPL players, no? Implies, if anything, that they are popular picks, but that's more the 'massive' part. He knows his audience play FPL, and even addresses them in the tweet. Don't think he is implying anything about the team the player might play for with 'assets', personally

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        2. JBG
          6 hours, 21 mins ago

          Hopefully it's Palmer and/or Rogers

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      2. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        6 hours, 23 mins ago

        Yeah

        But implies more and the Chelsea goal scoring odds shifted in this morning with more money on the betting markets.

        Could just be a correction?

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  13. Haa-lala-land
    6 hours, 27 mins ago

    Watkins, Tielemans, Rogers, Konsa, Martinez

    Losing nearly half his first X1 and he doesnt even publicly moan, just unassumingly replaces quality with quality. Emery is one of the best in the league.

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    1. Utopsis
      6 hours, 19 mins ago

      This is his super power.

      Glasner lost Guehi and he walked. This guy is happy to be a coach and improve whoever he has at his disposal.

      He's the best coach in the league.

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  14. Sandy Ravage
    6 hours, 26 mins ago

    so many small fires to put out...

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    1. Bobby Digital
      6 hours, 23 mins ago

      Yeah I'd like to change 3-4 players... Not enough for WC.

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    2. Josh.E
      6 hours, 7 mins ago

      Saka ruined my plans

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  15. TheBiffas
    6 hours, 25 mins ago

    Gvardiol since GW6 has been shambolic

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    1. Utopsis
      6 hours, 20 mins ago

      He's been foiled today by some incredible goalkeeping

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  16. el polako
    6 hours, 22 mins ago

    Villa beating villains.

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    1. JBG
      6 hours, 17 mins ago

      Would've been better without Haaland G

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  17. PartyTime
    6 hours, 21 mins ago

    Pep's copycat looking like a sad toddler now

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  18. PartyTime
    6 hours, 20 mins ago

    Haaland big chance missed. Off the line.

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  19. Il Capitano
    6 hours, 20 mins ago

    This is some A-tier crossing from City today

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    1. JBG
      6 hours, 18 mins ago

      A for awful

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  20. Bobby Digital
    6 hours, 19 mins ago

    Haaland sulking

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    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      6 hours, 18 mins ago

      He's approaching that inbetween stage with his hair

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      1. Bobby Digital
        6 hours, 14 mins ago

        Hate that stage. Takes years..

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  21. PartyTime
    6 hours, 19 mins ago

    Haaland captain fail

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  22. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    6 hours, 19 mins ago

    Palmer or Pedro out?

    Haaland VC

    https://x.com/Teamnewsandtix/status/2113974560164811019

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    1. Deulofail
      6 hours, 16 mins ago

      Could be good for me as I have Bruno Fernandes first sub. Although he could come on for Calafiori.

      Could be bad for me as I have O'Shea second sub.

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    2. Kroenius
      6 hours, 8 mins ago

      I would'nt like that at all (have Manzambi 1 pt 1st sub,Barry 2nd) Forgot to set VC this week so C Palmer but auto VC Silva . I really hope he plays otherwise I may look like a fool.

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  23. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    6 hours, 16 mins ago

    Well done Villa

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    1. Deulofail
      6 hours, 13 mins ago

      Only a few hours since Villa were whipping boys and City untouchable, clear of the pack

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  24. Feanor
    6 hours, 15 mins ago

    City docked 3 points today

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  25. PartyTime
    6 hours, 15 mins ago

    Lol @ Cty

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  26. Zalk
    6 hours, 15 mins ago

    Good job Villa

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  27. tuturututu
    6 hours, 14 mins ago

    How Haaland is on 2 bonus ffs

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    1. Bobby Digital
      6 hours, 13 mins ago

      Because strikers are overcompensated for goals

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    2. SM001
      6 hours, 10 mins ago

      Eh, because he scored.

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  28. F4L
    6 hours, 11 mins ago

    goodbye calafiori, cant be having rotation after having to play just 1 midweek match

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    1. Deulofail
      6 hours, 8 mins ago

      It was Bayern Munich. He might not play any more midweek games this year... Easy enough to have a bench to cover. But if you want every pound to count in the XI each week, then sell away

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      1. F4L
        6 hours, 4 mins ago

        yeah fair enough maybe an overreaction. but you'd have to bank on him missing dortumund and madrid and then its fixture congestion from just pl matches. i get the upside is there when he starts for sure , but argh i dont like owning players like this having to guess when they start.

        if he doesnt get subbed on today, a different story. we'll see what happens. will keep until hull either way

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  29. #1 Arne Engels Fan
    6 hours, 10 mins ago

    Bobby Thomenbauer o'clock

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  30. 1912 F.A Cup Winners
    6 hours, 7 mins ago

    Hmmm have the exact money for DCL to Jackson!! Tempting!!

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    1. Deulofail
      6 hours, 6 mins ago

      I already did Egeli > Jackson after Jackson's second goal. I'm likely WCinng though. Sold Kinsky and Brunfo last night

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      1. 1912 F.A Cup Winners
        6 hours, 4 mins ago

        Great moves
        Mate!!

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    2. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      6 hours, 5 mins ago

      DCLs fixtures look pretty good tbh:

      bou, TOT, che, COV, mci, IPS, liv, FUL, avl, hul

      Particularly those home games

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      1. 1912 F.A Cup Winners
        6 hours, 4 mins ago

        They do mate!! That’s exactly what’s stopping me from making the move!! Haha

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