Aston Villa ended Manchester City’s perfect Premier League record with a 2-1 victory at Villa Park on Saturday, with Nicolas Jackson scoring in both halves to give Enzo Maresca’s men a damaging defeat during the continuing turmoil around the club’s off-field financial case.
Despite losing, City remain top of the table on 21 points. The result gives Arsenal the chance to move level later on Saturday, when they host Everton and attempt to cancel out the three-point gap between the sides.
The victory lifted Unai Emery’s Aston Villa to sixth place on 11 points. It was their first league win at Villa Park this season and their third consecutive league victory against Manchester City.
City are playing under the shadow of a guilty verdict relating to 114 breaches of Premier League financial rules. The club has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Villa took the lead in the sixth minute after a mistake in the City defence. Marc Guehi’s poor touch allowed Villa captain John McGinn to win possession and release Jackson. The striker kept his composure to guide a low finish into the bottom corner.
Manchester City responded after half-time. Erling Haaland levelled when he headed Iliman Ndiaye’s clipped free-kick delivery beyond the Villa goalkeeper.
The hosts restored their advantage on the hour mark. Ibrahim Mbaye drove forward on the right before cutting the ball back towards Jackson, whose effort from the Senegal teammate’s pass slipped beneath Gianluigi Donnarumma as the goalkeeper dived.
Jackson’s second goal completed his double and gave Villa a lead they did not surrender.
Zion Suzuki then played a decisive role in preserving the result, making a series of outstanding saves as City searched for another equaliser.
The defeat leaves Manchester City vulnerable at the top of the standings, with Arsenal able to draw level if they beat Everton in Saturday’s later fixture. For Aston Villa, it secured a third league win in a row against the reigning leaders and ended City’s flawless start to their Premier League campaign.
The result also marked Villa’s first home league victory of the season, while adding further pressure to a Manchester City side whose result came amid the ongoing attention surrounding the financial case.
Reuters
