Alan Shearer predicts 11-year Aston Villa first with Manchester City prediction

Alan Shearer does not fancy Aston Villa's chances against Manchester City on Saturday afternoon.

City lead the way at the top of the Premier League with a perfect record of seven wins from seven.

Should the Citizens win at Villa Park, they would become just the eighth side to win their first eight games of an English top-flight campaign.

The most recent of those was Liverpool in 2019-20, so it is a feat that does not come around too often.

Villa will be hoping that does not happen this weekend as they seek a fourth win in a row in all competitions.

Unai Emery's side have found some momentum at last, but Shearer can only see one outcome against City.

What's Alan Shearer predicted in Aston Villa vs Man City?

Johan Manzambi is a fitness doubt for Villa and his availability could make all the difference.

Emery will be quietly confident of getting one over on opposite number Enzo Maresca regardless.

After all, as per Opta, Villa are unbeaten in their last three Premier League home games against sides starting the day top of the table.

The Villans beat Arsenal 1-0 in December 2023 and 2-1 in December 2025, while drawing 2-2 with Liverpool in February 2025.

Despite that, Shearer is backing a Manchester City win in his predictions column for The Metro.

"I was impressed with Villa last week at Newcastle," Shearer said. "They’ve won three out of three in the Champions League, scored another three goals after their six in the last one in the Champions League.

"Unai Emery is a phenomenal manager. He's an incredible coach. I mean, he did a job on Newcastle last week. There's never any panic with the players that they've sold, for him to rebuild again.

"City changed it around in terms of leaving players out in the Champions League, so they’re able to bring them back. They’ll go strong again, I guess.

"Villa will make it extremely tough for them, but I think City will have enough to win the game again."

Should that transpire, it will be the first time in 11 years that Villa have started a campaign four league games without a win at Villa Park.

Emery's men have so far lost to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest on home soil, while drawing against Brentford last time out.

Man City's poor recent record vs Aston Villa in numbers

City may enter this game as slight favourites in the view of many, but they have lost their last two league games against Villa.

Not since between August 1962 and September 1966 have they lose three in a row in this fixture.

Indeed, Villa have won four of their last six Premier League games against City, which is as many as in their previous 35 against them.

On that basis, and given the recent form of both sides, a very tight game can be expected in the West Midlands.