Aston Villa manager Unai Emery says Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola remains “the best” coach in the Premier League as his side meet the champions on Saturday.

City have lost eight of their last 11 games in all competitions, winning just once in that sequence, and fallen nine points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.

The Premier League champions, who have also played a game more than Arne Slot’s table-toppers, now face a tough test at Villa Park on Saturday.

Emery, however, said of City manager Guardiola, a fellow Spaniard: “He’s the best. I’m a little bit surprised (about Manchester City’s form), but it’s football.

“It’s a very tough match and an exciting match for us. We’re respecting them a lot.

“Each team is giving us a lot of information about how we are and how we are facing them. (On Saturday) we face the best team from the last few years, clearly, in the Premier League.

“Maybe they’re not being consistent because of different circumstances, but they are the best and their coach is the best.

EPL fixtures: Aston Villa host Man City as Liverpool face Tottenham

“They will again be getting good performances and they have time to be a winner again in this competition.”

Seventh-placed Villa are two points and two positions below City following a late defeat at Nottingham Forest last weekend.

Forest scored in the 87th minute and again in added time at the City Ground to win 2-1 and end Villa’s run of three consecutive victories in all competitions.

Emery, former Arsenal, Sevilla, and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) manager added: “We are being consistent, but to be in the top level we need more in everything.

“We are patient with our process. We are accepting everything in our way, trying to get better.

“Tactically, emotionally, mentally, we are trying to get experiences, winning and sometimes losing, trying to be positive as well.”

The Star