Published May 21, 4:42am ET by
Alex Dudley - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated May 21, 4:42am ET
Credit: Shutterstock
Updated May 21, 4:42am ET
The curtain comes down on Pep Guardiola’s dominant era as Man City manager on Sunday, with the Catalan set to stand down following the team’s final match of the season against Aston Villa.
The Villa will be in celebratory mood after winning the Europa League final on Wednesday, marking their first major honor for over 30 years.
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|---|---|
| Man City | -300 |
| DRAW | +513 |
| Aston Villa | +718 |
News broke on Monday that Pep Guardiola would be stepping down from his role as Man City boss at the end of the season. The timing felt odd, as it came just 24 hours before City’s must-win clash at Bournemouth.
Ultimately, they were unable to take the title challenge to the final day, playing out a 1-1 draw at the Vitality Stadium. City’s form has been reliable in the second half of the season, avoiding defeat in their last 15, and winning ten fixtures over that period. Erling Haaland is on course to win the Golden Boot for the third time in four seasons.
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Aston Villa ended a 30-year wait for a major honor on Wednesday after easing past Freiburg to win the Europa League final. Champions League qualification had already been achieved following last week’s 4-2 win over Liverpool. This weekend, the Villa could record back-to-back league wins for the first time since December.
Ollie Watkins has been in excellent recent form, registering eight goal involvements in his previous nine EPL appearances. However, after a busy week of celebrations, Villa may lack motivation to compete at their highest level on Sunday.
| TOTAL | Man City | Aston Villa | DRAWS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | 51 | 34 | 10 | 7 |
| Goals | 155 | 107 | 48 |
Emotions will be high at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, as Man City bid farewell to their greatest ever manager. A City win is hard to overlook, especially considering that they have won 19 of their last 20 home fixtures against Aston Villa.
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Pick
Man City (-300)
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