After seeing Liverpool drop two points in stunning fashion on Monday, Manchester City can put one hand on the English Premier League title with three points against Aston Villa at the Etihad on Wednesday night.
Where to Watch Live:
The potential title decider is scheduled for a 7.45 pm BST (12.15 am IST, 2.45 pm ET) start with live coverage on Star Sports 4 and Star Sports HD2 in India. The match can be caught via live streaming online in India HERE. Watch the game in the US HERE, while UK viewers can watch the match live HERE. Viewers in the Middle East and North Africa can live stream the action HERE, while South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa viewers can do so HERE. Latin America viewers can live stream the action HERE. The game can be live streamed by Canada viewers HERE, while Australia viewers can do the same HERE.
Liverpool could only move one point clear of City after conceding three goals in the space of nine minutes to Crystal Palace on Monday. Man City have had a few games in hand for pretty much the entire season, and the game on Wednesday will be the defining one in what has been a brilliant title race this season.
Beat Aston Villa -- doesn't really matter by how many goals, as City have a +9 advantage in goal difference - and City will be just a small step away from picking up their second Premier League title in three years.
"It is just one result and it is very difficult to win games in the Premier League," City manager Manuel Pellegrini said. "You cannot be sure you are winning until the end. Crystal Palace are a good team in a good moment.
"That's why, after the defeat at Liverpool, I said we must continue because other teams will drop points. That has happened.
"We have to win the game against Aston Villa; then at the end of the week, we will see which team has more points. We will prepare exactly the same as we have done in all the games during the year. The next game is always the most important.
"It is a difficult game because all the teams are under pressure. A lot of people said Everton were not going to win because they didn't want Liverpool to win the title but we had a very tough game against them.
"Crystal Palace did not have anything to fight for but they were very strong. I am sure Aston Villa will be a difficult team for us but I hope that if we play at home as we have done so far, we can win."
Villa, though, have little to play for on Wednesday after ensuring their place in the Premier League at the weekend, and that only makes City's task just that little easier. The pressure to pick up three points, though, will be massive, but this Man City side have shown in the past they can cope with the weight of expectations.
"We definitely expect to win it -- as a team at the top you always expect to win," inspirational midfielder Yaya Toure told the club's official website.
"We have worked so hard this year and f we don't win, it would be a massive disappointment for us, for the fans and for the club as well."
Team news: Manchester City: Sergio Aguero has been ruled out of the clash after the striker suffered a groin injury in the 3-2 win over Everton. Toure, who was also substituted, though, is expected to be available.
"Sergio Aguero couldn't recover 100 percent from his groin problem so he is not in this squad list," Pellegrini said. "Maybe he has a chance to be fit for Sunday. We will see in the week. I was not 100% sure if he was fit for tomorrow -- that's why he is not in the squad.
"Yaya did not have any problems in the last game. I just made the change because he was just coming back from his injury and he was not able to play 90 minutes."
Aston Villa: Gabriel Agbonlahor is a major doubt, with fellow forwards Christian Benteke and Libor Kozak already sidelined.
Expected lineups: Manchester City: Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Kolarov; Toure, Fernandinho; Navas, Silva, Nasri; Dzeko.
Aston Villa: Brad Guzan; Lowton, Vlaar, Clark, Bertand; El Ahmadi, Westwood, Delph; Albrighton, Holt, Weimann.
