Aston Villa 2-1 Manchester City: Hosts end City’s perfect start to Premier League season

Manchester City‘s perfect start to the Premier League season came to and end as they were beaten 2-1 by in-form Aston Villa.

Nicolas Jackson scored either side of an Erling Haaland header to give Unai Emery’s side a memorable win – their first of the campaign – and inflict a first defeat in the league for City boss Enzo Maresca.

The result opens the door for defending champions Arsenal to move level on points with City if they can beat Everton later today.

Meanwhile, for Villa, the result means the West Midlanders move up to sixth and have now won seven of their last nine matches in all competitions.

Jackson strikes early

A frantic opening saw Villa break the deadlock after just six minutes when John McGinn pounced on a heavy touch from Marc Guehi before finding Jackson.

The Senegal international took the ball into the box, skipped beyond the sliding Elliot Anderson, before blasting the ball high into the roof of the net.

City were stunned. Amid a raucous home crowd at Villa Park, Maresca’s men struggled to establish a foothold in the game.

However, the league leaders still managed to carve out chances, the best coming courtesy of their brightest creative spark, Iliman Ndiaye, who rattled the post with a low drive.

Ndiaye had earlier seen an effort palmed away impressively by Zion Suzuki in the Villa goal, while, at the other end, Jackson dragged a shot wide.

An electric second half

After an underwhelming first 45, Maresca made two changes at the break, replacing Guehi and Rayan Cherki with Rico Lewis and Phil Foden, fresh from scoring a hat-trick in midweek.

It took just eight minutes after the restart for City to draw level, and it came from a familiar source. From Ndiaye’s free-kick out wide, Haaland rose highest to direct a firm header past Suzuki.

The Villa keeper was called into action to prevent City completing the comeback moments later, when he saved well from Josko Gvardiol at close range.

With the visitors on top, Jeremy Doku, who was largely kept quiet by an impressive Matty Cash, bent an effort the wrong side of the post before the hosts delivered a sucker punch on the hour mark.

After a sweeping counter, substitute Ibrahim Mbaye’s first action of the game saw him race down the right before cutting the ball back to Jackson who rifled a first-time shot that squirmed under Gianluigi Donnarumma, who perhaps should have done better.

It proved to be the decisive moment of the match. Villa saw out the game to become the first team to take points off City in the league this season.

The Premier League Table

Upcoming fixtures for Aston Villa and Manchester City

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