My feeling is we will win the Premier League, says Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola

Aston Villa and Manchester City will be hoping to get back to winning ways when they meet at Villa Park on December 6 for their English Premier League clash, with City boss Pep Guardiola confident his side can still win the title.

The champions make the trip following a controversial 3-3 draw with Tottenham Hotspur in which they were denied a late goal-scoring opportunity – their third straight draw which left them third in the league, The Straits Times reports.

Unai Emery’s Villa, meanwhile, drew 2-2 at Bournemouth but are the surprise package so far having parked themselves in fourth spot, a point behind City.

Guardiola had said that his side’s longest winless run in the Premier League for six years was no cause for alarm, and he reiterated that when he spoke ahead of this match.

“The reality is we concede a lot of goals, but we don’t concede many chances, which is a good sign,” he said.

“If you ask me, after the way we played against Liverpool (1-1) and Tottenham, my feeling is we will win the Premier League. But it’s always difficult.

“The form that they (Aston Villa) have this season... it’ll be a tough game. We knew it before and we know it now.”

Despite the close battle on paper, City, who also drew 4-4 against Chelsea, will head to the match as favourites.

Villa are winless in 13 league games against the visitors – the last time they won was a 3-2 home victory in 2013. Emery’s men, however, have won 17 of their last 18 matches in all competitions at Villa Park.

Guardiola would also have noted that City have won 25 of their last 26 league games that were played on a Wednesday. Villa, on the other hand, have won just one of their last 12 top-flight games played on the same day.

City are without the suspended Rodri and Jack Grealish, while Jeremy Doku and Matheus Nunes are doubtful.

Erling Haaland will again lead the attack for Guardiola’s men – the Norwegian striker has scored braces in his last two away league matches, against Manchester United and Chelsea.

For Villa, Guardiola will be wary of forward Ollie Watkins, who scored in the 90th minute against Bournemouth to rescue a point. The 27-year-old has eight goals and six assists in 14 league games this campaign.

“He is so important for us,” said Villa’s Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz of Watkins.

“He’s more confident and I think now, at the moment, he is the best player in the squad.

“He scores goals, makes assists and everyone is so happy for him. He is the only one who can score a goal in the last minute, or create one. That is my opinion.”

Emery will have to cope without the injured Bertrand Traore, Emiliano Buendia and Tyrone Mings.

Meanwhile, City have been charged by the Football Association with failing to control their players during the draw with Tottenham on Dec 3.

Several City players surrounded referee Simon Hooper late in the game after he stopped play when Grealish was through on goal for a foul on Haaland in the build-up, having previously waved play on.