Man City vs Aston Villa LIVE: Latest Premier League score and goal updates as Jhon Duran levels for visitors

Manchester City host Aston Villa in a midweek Premier League clash which is set to have huge consequences on the title race and the fight for the top four.

City, fresh off a goalless draw against the Gunners, come into the match hoping to keep the pressure on league leaders Liverpool who are three points clear of the reigning champions. With second-placed Arsenal also in action this evening, Pep Guardiola’s team cannot afford to drop points though there is a chance they can finish the night top of the table if they perform exceptionally against Villa.

For their part, Villa are hoping to build off the back of a midlands derby victory over Wolves at the weekend and Unai Emery’s side are hoping to close out a phenomenally good season with a spot in next season’s Champions League. They are battling for fourth with Tottenham and know that they need to collect as many points as possible during the run-in including against teams as difficult to beat as City.

Guardiola’s side come into the game following consecutive draws against Liverpool and Arsenal so now may be the best, or worst, time to face them. How will this intriguing encounter play out?

Follow all the action below plus get the latest odds and tips right here:

Man City vs Aston Villa LIVE

• Manchester City host Aston Villa in the Premier League, live on TNT Sports 1

• City must win to close the gap on league leaders Liverpool

• Villa hope to keep presssure on Spurs in battle for top four

• Manchester City XI: Ortega; Lewis, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; Rodri; Doku, Silva, Foden, Grealish; Alvarez.

• Aston Villa XI: Olsen; Konsa, Carlos, Lenglet, Digne; Zaniolo, Luiz, Iroegbunam, Rogers; Diaby, Duran.

• GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 1-0 Aston Villa (Rodri, 11 minutes)

• GOAL! Manchester City 1-1 ASTON VILLA (Jhon Duran, 20 minutes)

Manchester City FC 1 – 1 Aston Villa FC

Manchester City 1-1 Aston Villa, 24 minutes

20:39 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Volleyed wide! Good technique from Jack Grealish, firing down onto the ball and sending it bounding towards the corner. A yard or so away from the post, perhaps helped by a touch from Robin Olsen which goes unspotted by the officials.

Here is Jhon Duran’s leveller:

Manchester City 1-1 Aston Villa, 23 minutes

20:38 , Harry Latham-Coyle

There’s a vim and a verve to this game now, Aston Villa striking with virtually their first clear opportunity to remind the hosts and the crowd of their attacking threat. It is their ability to play in many different ways that has driven their transformation – they probably would have started thinking they would frustrate first, but knowing that they had that attacking edge to turn to if they fell behind.

GOAL! Manchester City 1-1 ASTON VILLA (Jhon Duran, 20 minutes)

20:34 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Aston Villa level!

It’s another peach of a goal! Aston Villa win the ball back on the edge of their own area and unfurl their front four, Nicolo Zaniolo exchanging with Morgan Rogers in the inside left channel and Moussa Diaby offering width on the right. Jhon Duran slides out to the left and combines with Rogers in a give and go, accelerating beyond Ruben Dias and then beating Stefan Ortega across his body into the far corner.

Manchester City 1-0 Aston Villa, 18 minutes

20:33 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Unai Emery and Pep Guardiola offer their demonstrative points as Aston Villa are robbed in possession near halfway, allowing Manuel Akanji and Jeremy Doku to come forward. Doku uses the centre-half’s overlapping run to dive inside and release a shot, but it is blocked away.

Manchester City 1-0 Aston Villa, 15 minutes

20:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Jhon Duran tries to reply quickly, testing Stefan Ortega with a sharp shot, but the striker had already strayed offside.

GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 1-0 Aston Villa (Rodri, 11 minutes)

20:26 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A lovely flowing move and Rodri sweeps home!

Beautiful build-up play from Manchester City, pulling the left side of Aston Villa’s two banks of four out of shape. Rico Lewis adds an option and Phil Foden pulls back into space, turning to find Jeremy Doku sprinting up the right.

Doku’s cut-back is pinpoint precise, perfectly into the path of Rodri, who finishes with aplomb.

Manchester City 0-0 Aston Villa, 10 minutes

20:25 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A scramble in the Aston Villa box gets the crowd going, Clement Lenglet’s intervention timely with both Julian Alvarez and Phil Foden looking to prod home. Foden seems to be relishing his more central role, pushing up near Alvarez at every opportunity.

Rodri unleashes a speculator from range, but there isn’t the puff behind his effort to test Robin Olsen low to the goalkeeper’s right.

Manchester City 0-0 Aston Villa, 8 minutes

20:23 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A free kick on the right is swung in by Phil Foden, but his inward curve takes it too close to Robin Olsen, swift off his line to gather at forehead height. Solid work from the stand-in stopper, deputising for the poorly Emi Martinez.

Erling Haaland left on the bench by Manchester City

20:22 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Manchester City 0-0 Aston Villa, 6 minutes

20:21 , Harry Latham-Coyle

This is a worry for Aston Villa – Jhon Duran is down after a clash with Josko Gvardiol, and there’s limited attacking cover n the bench.

Thankfully, he’s back on his feet soon enough, though rubbing at his ear.

Manchester City 0-0 Aston Villa, 3 minutes

20:20 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Manchester City have begun as expected, it seems, with Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku prodiving the width and Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden more central in front of Rodri and, in possession, inserting full back Rico Lewis.

Nicolo Zaniolo looks to be playing off the left for Aston Villa.

Manchester City 0-0 Aston Villa, 2 minutes

20:17 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Douglas Luiz’s corner is flicked on at the front, but the second head it hits is a Manchester City one. Lines cleared.

First chance! Julian Alvarez ruffles the side netting, latching on to a clever dink from Jack Grealish peeling in from the left and volleying goalwards. Alvarez might have been just offside but couldn’t find the right side of the post regardless.

Manchester City 0-0 Aston Villa, 1 minute

20:16 , Harry Latham-Coyle

An early fright for Aston Villa as Diego Carlos is forced into some hasty defensive work with four blue shirts pressing hard, but efficent transfers up the field allow the visitors to earn the game’s firsd tcorner. Up the big blokes come – can they test Stefan Ortega?

KICK OFF!

20:15 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Darren England peeps his whistle – we are underway at the Etihad Stadium.

Manchester City vs Aston Villa

20:09 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The last strands of daylight have just disappeared from the Manchester sky as the two sides ready themselves for action. Third faces fourth in the Premier League – their ultimate aims this season may be different but this is a huge game for both sides.

Manchester City vs Aston Villa

19:59 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Speaking to TNT Sports pre-match, Pep Guardiola suggests that Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne are left out for reasons of rest of rotation, with a short turnaround to a lunchtime encounter with Crystal Palace on Saturday. He urges his team to focus on today and forget about the defeat to Aston Villa earlier in the season.

“I prefer to be the hunted,” he emphasises when it is put to him that he might enjoy chasing Liverpool and Arsenal down from behind. Point made.

Manchester City vs Aston Villa

19:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle

And almost immediately, Arsenal are in front, inevitably.

Manchester City vs Aston Villa

19:54 , Harry Latham-Coyle

No goals as of yet in tonight’s other fixtures, with Luton holding Arsenal at bay and Brentford and Brighton similarly scoreless. An Arsenal slip-up would leave the door open for Manchester City to take top spot – though they’d need to score five at least to overhaul Liverpool’s goal difference advantage. We’ll cross that bridge if we get there…

Manchester City vs Aston Villa

19:46 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The way Aston Villa disrupted Manchester City’s flow in possession was the key to their victory in December, pressing hard and high to really dominate the contest. Will they be quite as cohesive without John McGinn and Ollie Watkins? Nicolo Zaniolo has endured a difficult season but has begun to show glimpses of the talent that once made him one of Italy’s top talents – this feels like a big night for the midfielder.

News of a late change for the visitors – Emi Martinez is unwell, so Robin Olsen steps in to the starting side.

Manchester City vs Aston Villa

19:40 , Harry Latham-Coyle

It will be fascinating to see how Manchester City line up tonight. It looks a versatile front five named by Pep Guardiola, with Julian Alvarez in theory leading the line but the quintet like to move and morph with and without the ball to ask Aston Villa complex questions.

Arsenal up and running

19:33 , Harry Latham-Coyle

It’s a busy night of Premier League action, with Manchester City’s fellow title chasers Arsenal also in action. Can Luton cause an upset at the Emirates? They’re already playing in North London – throw it up on another tab and follow along with m’colleague Michael Jones:

Arsenal vs Luton LIVE: Latest Premier League updates

The wrong kind of impact: Why Jack Grealish has reached a crossroads at Man City

19:26 , Richard Jolly

Pep Guardiola had finished a particularly animated display of pointing to his left when he executed a 90-degree pivot to his right on the spot, like a man intent on proving he did not need a turning circle. Jack Grealish looked mildly bemused. It was the end of Manchester City 0 Arsenal 0 and Guardiola, with the impatience of a perfectionist, had again demonstrated he could not wait until he reached the sanctuary of the dressing room to make his point.

Thankfully, perhaps, few can translate his range of melodramatic gestures to understand the message he was trying to convey. Grealish may still be none the wiser. Guardiola deadpanned his way through his explanation of his antics. “I did it for the cameras, for my ego,” he said sarcastically. “I am the famous person of the team so that is the reason why. Always I try to criticise the players there and let them know how bad they are.”

The wrong kind of impact: Why Jack Grealish has reached a crossroads at Man City

Aston Villa team news

19:19 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Young Tim Iroegbunam starts in midfield for Aston Villa, with Jhon Duran utilised up front in the absence of Ollie Watkins.

Aston Villa XI: Olsen; Konsa, Diego Carlos, Lenglet, Digne; Zaniolo, Iroegbunam Douglas Luiz, Rogers; Diaby, Duran.

Manchester City team news

19:16 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne drop to the bench for Manchester City, with Pep Guardiola also not feeling that John Stones is yet ready to start.

Manchester CIty XI: Ortega; Lewis, Akanji, Dias (C), Gvardiol; Rodri; Doku, Bernardo, Foden, Grealish; Alvarez.

Manchester City vs Aston Villa team news on the way…

19:10 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Right, with little more than an hour until kick-off in Manchester, both sides will soon be confirming their sides. How will the visitors compensate for the absent Ollie Watkins? And is John Stones ready to return to the Manchester City defence?

Pep Guardiola: John Stones must feel fully fit to start

18:50 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Pep Guardiola said John Stones has to feel fully fit if he is to make his Manchester City comeback as he added Nathan Ake to his defensive injury list.

The Netherlands international will miss Wednesday’s game against Aston Villa, along with captain Kyle Walker and goalkeeper Ederson.

Stones was on the bench for Sunday’s 0-0 draw against Arsenal after his abductor injury proved less serious than Guardiola initially feared but he is unsure if he will be able to face Unai Emery’s team. Stones has had an injury-hit season and the City manager is reluctant to risk him if he is not comfortable.

Pep Guardiola reveals latest Man City injury blow ahead of Aston Villa test

Manchester City vs Aston Villa

18:43 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Aston Villa won the reverse fixture 1-0 in December, and are bidding for a first double against Manchester City in more than 60 years. The Etihad hasn’t been a happy hunting ground, though – their last 13 visits have ended in defeat.

Aston Villa hit by huge injury blow with Ollie Watkins ruled out

18:40 , Harry Latham-Coyle

There will be no Ollie Watkins for Aston Villa tonight, with the striker sidelined by a hamstring issue – though Unai Emery suggested yesterday that the issue is only minor and Watkins could even be back for the weekend.

Aston Villa hit by huge injury blow ahead of facing Man City

Barcelona race to secure Ruben Amorim and leave Liverpool with two alternative manager targets

18:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle

It’s shaping as a fascinating summer in the managerial market, with Xabi Alonso seemingly now staying in Germany leaving top clubs scrambling for candidates to fill soon-to-be-vacant positions. Miguel Delaney reports:

Barcelona eye Amorim to leave Liverpool with two major targets

England’s Euro 2024 squad: Who’s on the plane, who’s in contention and who has work to do?

18:20 , Harry Latham-Coyle

With the final friendlies before a provisional squad is named done and dusted, only club form will now be enough to force Gareth Southgate’s hand and earn inclusion in England’s Euro 2024 squad. Lawrence Ostlere assesses who should be preparing their passport for a trip to Germany – and who faces a surprisingly free summer.

England’s Euro 2024 squad: Who’s on the plane and who has work to do?

Premier League title race: Who has the best fixtures – Liverpool, Man City or Arsenal?

18:10 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The Premier League is heading for a classic title race, with Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal set for a three-way battle as the season enters the run-in.

Manchester City, the defending champions, are aiming to win a fourth league title in a row under Pep Guardiola – a feat that has never been achieved in the history of English football. City blew Arsenal away in last year’s run-in, but the Gunners are back in the fight this campaign and showed a newfound resilience to grind out a 0-0 draw at the Etihad on Sunday and remain above the champions with nine games to go.

It leaves Liverpool leading the way as the run-in truly begins, in what are Jurgen Klopp’s final few weeks on Merseyside. After an epic clash between Klopp’s Liverpool and Guardiola’s City, as the managerial rivals met in the Premier League for the final time, it means the top three have now all played each other twice, and the fate of the title will be decided elsewhere.

Premier League title race: Who has the best fixtures in the run-in?

Why Jack Grealish has reached a crossroads at Man City

18:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Any encounter with his old employers always puts Jack Grealish in the spotlight, but, as Richard Jolly outlines, tonight’s game might be of even more importance to the ex-Aston Villa star:

The wrong kind of impact: Why Jack Grealish has reached a crossroads at Man City

Pep Guardiola reveals truth behind on-pitch confrontation with Jack Grealish: ‘I do it for the cameras’

17:50 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Pep Guardiola impishly suggested his “ego” was responsible for a confrontation with Jack Grealish following Manchester City’s goalless draw against Arsenal at the weekend.

City drawing a blank at home against one of their Premier League title rivals on Sunday left them a point behind Arsenal and three adrift of leaders Liverpool with nine games of the season left.

At the full-time whistle, Guardiola was filmed in an animated discussion in the middle of the pitch with Grealish, who was brought on just after the hour mark in a fruitless bid to break the deadlock.

While Guardiola patted Grealish on the head before walking away, the episode has drawn plenty of scrutiny, which the Spaniard playfully took aim at ahead of City’s clash with Aston Villa tonight.

Pep Guardiola reveals truth behind on-pitch confrontation with Jack Grealish

Manchester City vs Aston Villa

17:40 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Pep Guardiola labelled Erling Haaland the “best striker in the world” after the Manchester City frontman was likened to a League Two player by Roy Keane.

The former Manchester United captain made the observation in his role as a pundit for Sky Sports after Haaland drew a blank in City’s goalless draw against Premier League title rivals Arsenal on Sunday.

Keane concurred Haaland, top of the scoring charts after winning last season’s Golden Boot, is in a class of his own in front of goal but added his all-round game is “almost like a League Two player”.

Pep Guardiola hits back at Roy Keane’s criticism of ‘League Two’ Erling Haaland

Good evening!

17:30 , Mike Jones

Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of tonight’s Premier League action as Manchester City host Aston Villa.

Following their 0-0 draw with Arsenal at the weekend Pep Guardiola’s champions know they cannot afford to drop points if they want to keep the pressure on Liverpool in the title race.

City are currently three behind the league leaders, who play tomorrow, and face a tricky task to defeat Unai Emery’s impressive Villa.

For their part, Villa are hoping to to cling on to fourth spot and will extend the gap over Spurs in fifth if they take any points away from the Etihad tonight. They must do so without Ollie Watkins though as the forward has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.

We’ll have all the team news, line-ups and updates throughout the evening so stick with us as we build up to kick off at 8.15pm