Aston Villa: Stiliyan Petrov calls on fans to give Gareth Barry a warm welcome
Petrov is looking for Villa to be more consistent this season and handle the expectation levels after two successive top-six finishes in the Barclays Premier League.
Martin O'Neill's side had reeled off six wins on the trot in all competitions before losing 2-1 at Blackburn last Saturday.
Petrov said: "We know what pressure means. We have had it the last two seasons and we need to cope with it again and be more consistent.
"We have got a style of play now. We know what we need to do. We are solid at the back, strong in the middle and have got strikers who can score goals.
"We need to work hard when we lose the ball. We need to work hard to get it back as soon as possible and we control games more now.
"The experience of being in the top four for much of last season was great and we want the same again."
Villa midfielder Steve Sidwell is back in contention to face City after missing the previous two games with Cardiff - in the Carling Cup - and Blackburn.
The former Chelsea player has returned to training after recovering from a thigh strain.
