Football writer Ninad Barbadikar identifies the key players, team tactics and where matches could be won and lost in Matchweek 9.
Team analysis: Aston Villa
Unai Emery’s Villa are seemingly on the up again and currently occupy 11th place in the league, a five-match unbeaten run propelling them up the table.
Villa look like a different side to the one that endured a winless start in their first six competitive matches as they prepare for the visit of Manchester City on Sunday.
Hand in hand with those results have been the return of goals for Villa, who scored just once in their first five Premier League outings.
In their last three matches, which have all been wins, have featured seven goals.
Pep Guardiola’s side are up next. They will be the biggest test of the season for Emery, as he and his side aim to carry on the positive form of the last few weeks.
What’s Emery done to turn things around?
The Villa head coach was critical of his players after the 1-1 draw against Sunderland, claiming his players were “lazy” in their performance at the Stadium of Light.
Following that, Villa have won five in a row in all competitions, conceding just three times.
Emery’s team haven’t changed all that much in their intention.
The high line is still there, the intent to play through the middle is too. What’s different is the quality of execution, which has been much improved, leading to the uptick in results.
John McGinn has been a big catalyst in that. While his attacking team-mates have been hit and miss in front of goal, the Villa captain has repeatedly come up with important strikes.
Before the recent victory against Tottenham Hotspur, he had scored in three of the four matches which resulted in wins.
Morgan Rogers’ form so far has been a big talking point and coincided with that of the club earlier in the campaign.
With teams aiming to limit his involvement, Emery managed to find a solution by introducing additional creative outlets between the lines.
Harvey Elliott against Fulham is one such example. The Villa No 9 started against Fulham, where he began his career and reduced the numbers looking to stifle Rogers’ presence.
It largely worked too. Rogers attempted 36 passes against Fulham, more than in any other match this season, and even grabbed his first assist of the season.
The England international is arguably Villa’s best player and to have him back in form is excellent timing ahead of their match against City.
Behind striker Ollie Watkins, Emery has a few different options depending on the opposition.
Against Burnley, the direct style of fast Dutch forward Donyell Malen was devastatingly effective.
Malen’s versatility makes him viable across the flanks and the middle as well, giving Emery the option to now rest Watkins, which is what he did against Spurs.
While summer signing Evann Guessand has been more of a typical winger in Villa’s system, Malen’s habit to drift inwards and support the striker with runs in behind give the Villa centre-backs an extra option for the early ball in-behind.
Speaking of centre-backs, Pau Torres’s return to the starting XI has been important as well.
With first-choice Tyrone Mings nursing a knock he suffered against Fulham, Torres has already significantly improved Villa’s build-up since coming in.
Breaking opposition lines with his accurate long passing, the Spaniard’s ability to play out from the back is hugely helpful when opposition players decide to step up and engage in the high press, which is precisely what Emery wants them to do.
Alongside Ezri Konsa, the duo brings a great deal of balance to the back line, which will be important for Villa to pick their moments when they come, in the clash against City.
Is the change enough to upset City?
Whether these changes will ultimately be enough to upset City is a waiting game.
Emery and Guardiola have met five times in the Premier League since the former took charge at Villa Park. In that time, Emery has masterminded two victories, both coming at home.
This is perhaps a positive omen, with their upcoming meeting also coming at Villa Park.
Each of those victories saw Villa embrace their best version. One where they don’t look to dominate possession, but instead look to make their chances count on the break.
Recent victories against Fulham and Spurs saw them average 48 per cent and 47 per cent ball possession respectively.
That being said, in the big matches against Arsenal and Manchester United, Guardiola’s side surprisingly accrued less possession than their opponents and came away with a draw and a win respectively.
Whether he opts to cede possession to Villa and let them figure out a way to break down their block will be interesting to see.
In any case, Emery and Villa will need to prepare for either possibility to eke out a result.
Will tactical changes stymie City and Haaland?
Then there’s the question of Erling Haaland – how do Villa aim to contain him?
The Norway international is in the form of his life, scoring 11 times already in the league, at least 10 more than the next best scorer among his team-mates.
It is handy for Villa to take inspiration from their past meetings with Haaland, who is yet to score against Emery’s Villa in the Premier League.
Villa’s centre-back pairing of Torres and Konsa will have to work extra hard in maintaining their offside trap against Haaland, who is yet to be caught offside this season in the league.
He has shown an improvement in the air as well, scoring three headers already across the league and Europe. Therefore, cutting off service will be of vital importance for the Villa full-backs and wide players.
Further forward in midfield, Amadou Onana’s return to the double pivot should likely see McGinn fielded further forward, which will be important in suffocating City’s build-up, forcing them into turnovers to capitalise upon for the Villa attack.
Back to Haaland. The Norwegian believes he is in the form of his life and relishes the physical side of the game against centre-backs.
The City forward leads his team’s press effectively and the Villa defence will have to be extra aware when looking to play out from the back.
This is where Torres’ composure in breaking opposition lines of pressure will be crucial.
So will Haaland ultimately end up breaking his Premier League duck against Emery’s Villa? Only time will tell.
What is for sure though, is that Villa are probably in the best shape a team can be before facing a side like City and can take inspiration from their past meetings.