"Why does he start games", "Sometimes all you can do is just pray" - Fans react as Manchester City name star in XI for Aston Villa clash

Manchester City fans are questioning Pep Guardiola on social media after the starting XI for the Aston Villa game was announced. They believe that Jeremy Doku needs to start over Savinho in attack.

Guardiola has stuck with Gianluigi Donnarumma after the Italian's impressive start to the Premier League season. Matheus Nunes is the right-back with Josko Gvardiol on the opposite flank, while Ruben Dias and John Stones play in the middle of the backline.

Tijjani Reijnders is the lone defensive midfielder, with Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden supporting him in the middle of the pitch. Savinho and Oscar Bobb are on the wings today with Erling Haaland leading the attack once again.

The fans were not happy with the starting XI and many posted:

.🧸

@CAMsexual10

Doku benched instead of Savinho Pep Guardiola 2025 masterclass...

WOM98

@WOM_98

Gvardiol LB Savinho instead of Doku Sometimes all you can do is just pray. COME ON CITEHHH 🩵

👽

@lifeofcrispy

@ManCity @etihad why does Savinho start games 😭😭😭 hm

☔️

@Kun10i

Savinho starting over Doku, we’ve lost.

KDB

@F1PLCITY

@City_Xtra Savinho over Doku is a joke

The call to bench Doku comes just weeks after Guardiola praised the winger and said (via ESPN):

"I ask the wingers in the final third to go one vs. one or one vs. two and I have the feeling that Jeremy's decision-making in the final third improved, like, wow! Comparing to the past, he made an assist to Erling and sees the channels. He's an incredible threat against teams that are a low block and deep. Jeremy is really important. When the team is transitional maybe he can struggle a bit but he had the ball and brought the opponent to the box."

"Now he is reading good. When Jeremy goes there for the second goal, two or three opponents go there. They don't allow him to go one vs one because he's unstoppable. There is no winger over 5-10 metres stronger than Jeremy -- he can go left or right. Now he is reading when the opponents go two or three who the other man is to be free to create a cross or an extra pass. He improved a lot."

Manchester City can move to second in the Premier League table with a win over Aston Villa.

Pep Guardiola on Manchester City in the Premier League title race

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was quizzed about the Premier League title race and he believes that no side is ruled out yet. He claimed that Liverpool's poor form does not eliminate them and said (via MEN):

"In the first two, three games we were done and now it looks like Liverpool are done. I'll tell you that we will be back, I've said many times that the pundits, the specialists, the former footballers know what's going to happen after five games, I'm not able to do that. Ten, 15 games to know what's going on. Liverpool and Arsenal are there, someone else will be there and hopefully we can be there."

Arsenal are leading the table with 19 points from their opening eight matches. Manchester City can go level on points if the Gunners lose to Crystal Palace on Sunday, October 26.