Source: Telegraph
Aston Villa are feeling the heat says Manchester City's Mark Hughes
Despite lying eight points clear of fifth-placed Arsenal and sitting just one point off second place, Martin O'Neill's side have been showing the strain in recent weeks as the scale of what they might achieve hits home.
Villa have failed to win any of their last five games, a run which has cost them their chances of glory in both the Uefa and FA Cups, a sign in Hughes's eyes that a mixture of a small squad and inexperience is starting to tell.
The Manchester City manager said: "They haven't won in five and this is the one period in the season when they have maybe not had as many positive results as they would have liked.
"Maybe a bit of anxiety is creeping in because of where they are in the league. But they certainly have the ability to stay where they are in the top four. They're a big, strong side and they have a lot of presence on the field.
"Their away form has been very good. They play on the counter attack and with players like Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor they can spring traps. If their delivery is good they can score even when they're not playing well. Whatever happens, it has been an outstanding season for them and we will need to be up to the mark tomorrow night."
Hughes will have to face O'Neill's side, who have won more games away from home than any other side in the league this season, without the two players who have done more than anyone else to make sure City's season did not descend into a relegation battle.
A twisted ankle rules out Robinho, City's star man for the first part of the campaign, from the Eastlands clash, while Craig Bellamy could be out for a month after tearing knee fibres in the defeat to West Ham on Sunday.
Bellamy's five goals in his last seven games have helped City to the cusp of European spot and Hughes said: "It is disappointing because he has been outstanding since he came here and has really been carrying the fight for us. The best case scenario is that he will be back in two to three weeks."
