9 Players who have featured for both Manchester City & Aston Villa in the Premier League
Manchester City take on an ever-improving Aston Villa side under Steven Gerrard on Wednesday evening. The Cityzens will look to maintain their hot pursuit of league leaders Chelsea.
City boast an impressive record versus Villa in recent times, having been unbeaten against them in the league since 2013. However, with a new manager at the helm, Villa’s results already seem to have turned a corner. They have had back-to-back wins against Crystal Palace & Brighton & Hove Albion.
289 - Man City have scored more goals against Aston Villa in all competitions (289) than against any other opponent that they have faced. Bonanza.
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Manchester City and Aston Villa have witnessed contrasting fortunes in the past few years. City are a footballing superpower, both at domestic level as well as in Europe. Meanwhile Villa remain focused on re-establishing themselves as a top-half Premier League club.
A similar pattern has emerged in the club’s transfer activities over the past few years, especially since Sheikh Mansour took over Manchester City. Villa have more often than not tended to be a feeder club, selling their prized assets for astronomical fees. One example is the recent sale of Jack Grealish to City for around £100 million.
HE'S HERE!
We are delighted to announce the signing of @JackGrealish on a six-year deal.
Welcome to City, Jack! 💙
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Manchester City, on the other hand, tend to sign some of the most talented players in the world.
In this article, we take a look at some of the players who have represented both clubs in the Premier League era:
#1 Jack Grealish
Aston Villa – 2013-2021
Manchester City – 2021-Present
Jack Grealish is the latest and by far the most expensive entrant on this list to have played for both Manchester City & Aston Villa. Grealish came through the youth academy at Villa Park, having joined the club at the age of six.
Having been earmarked for success at an early age, Grealish’s Premier League experience got off to a horrific start. In the 2015-16 season, the young Irishman held the ignominy of being a part of a record 16 successive Premier League defeats. It was a campaign which ultimately ended with relegation for Aston Villa.
The Championship proved to be a blessing in disguise for him. Grealish matured and turned into a leader, leading the club back to the Premier League in 2019. The England international adapted to the rigors of the Premier League like a duck to water. He scored 14 times and set up another 15 goals for his teammates in just two seasons.
His impressive showing certainly caught the attention of Pep Guardiola, who was convinced to spend £100 million on the Villa winger. He has so far scored one goal and made two assists in the league. Despite an underwhelming start to his City career, Grealish's influence is expected to grow within this current Man City side.
#2 Kyle Walker
Aston Villa – 2011
Manchester City – 2017- Present
Manchester City’s current right-back spent six months of his formative professional career on loan at Villa Park. Back in the 2010-11 campaign, Kyle Walker joined the club on loan from Tottenham Hotspur with a view to establishing himself in the league.
The right-back played 15 times, scoring once and assisting another three. His impressive showing at Villa Park made him a regular starter for Tottenham since the 2011-12 season.
Six years on, Walker’s explosive pace and power convinced Manchester City to shell out £50 million for the right-back in 2017. The Englishman has been a consistent performer for the Blues, racking up close to 200 appearances in a little over four years.
He has played crucial roles in three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, four League Cups and two Community Shields. He has certainly vindicated the Cityzens' faith in the right back.