Aston Villa 1 Man City 2 - Report

John McGinn supplied the perfect opening by firing Dean Smith’s team in front after just 21 seconds before Phil Foden and Rodri hit back to put Premier League leaders Manchester City ahead.

When John Stones then saw red for a rash challenge to give Villa fresh hope, Matty Cash duly handed back the initiative by picking up two bookings in the space of three minutes.

From that point City rather comfortably saw out a win which leaves them just eight points from reclaiming the title.

Pep Guardiola’s team were irrepressible at times in the first half, with Foden in particular electric, finishing off a wonderful team move to level the scores midway through the opening half.

Yet Villa were still left wondering what might have been and will reflect on the fact they played a part in their own downfall.

When Stones was dismissed on the stroke of half-time it initially provided them fresh impetus. But Cash was rash, hacking down Foden to pick up a second yellow card having only just received his first for fouling the same player. His exit on 57 minutes took much of the sting out of a contest which, until then, had been a fine advert for Premier League football, in a week where much of the talk has been about European Super Leagues.

Plans for that might have collapsed but supporters are not likely to forget the part the six English clubs, including City, played in a hurry. A small group of Villa fans congregated outside the ground prior to kick-off held a banner informing the “greedy six” precisely that.

With Jack Grealish missing his ninth straight Premier League match and Trezeguet set for an extended period out with a serious knee injury, Villa’s current lack of options in attack was highlighted by Smith naming an entire reserve back four on his bench. Cash’s dismissal does not help the current lack of depth. He will sit out Sunday’s derby against Albion.

Douglas Luiz and Marvelous Nakamba started together for the second straight match in midfield, with teenager Jacob Ramsey was the man handed the start in place of Trezeguet.

Guardiola, meanwhile, made eight changes from the team beaten by Chelsea in last Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final. Those coming back into the line-up included Riyad Mahrez and Foden.

Yet it was Villa who came flying out of the blocks. Stones, another of those restored to the City team from the weekend, failed to cut out Tyrone Mings’ long ball and Ollie Watkins sent his cross perfectly into the path of McGinn to stroke home a finish from 10 yards out. It was just the Scotland international’s second Premier League goal of the season and his first since the 7-2 win over Liverpool.

In the early minutes it looked like Villa were in the mood to embarrass another of the so-called Big Six as they buzzed forward, both Douglas Luiz and Watkins seeing shots on goal blocked.

But City soon began to find their rhythm and Foden’s equaliser, when it arrived on 21 minutes, was deserved.

The England international was heavily involved in a terrific team move which began with goalkeeper Ederson. Foden’s whipped crossfield ball eventually found Mahrez out on the right and when he slipped in Bernardo Silva, the Portugeuse forward delivered a cross which Foden side footed into the net.

Villa were being pushed back and their own worst enemies, so wasteful were they in possession. Foden almost had a second within minutes of his first but after showing quick feet to evade the challenges of Nakamba and Ezri Konsa, he screwed the finish wide of the post.

Another goal appeared inevitable but frustratingly for Villa it took an error from them to deliver it five minutes before the break. Emiliano Martinez bellowed at Mings to leave Silva’s dinked cross for him but Rodri beat both of them to it, flicking a header over the onrushing keeper and into the far corner.

At that point Villa looked set for a very long night but quickly City were down to ten men. Stones clattered into Ramsey after the youngster beat him to a through ball, catching his opponent high. Though referee Peter Bankes initially showed him a yellow card, it was rightly upgraded to red after the official had checked the pitchside monitor.

Smith introduced Keinan Davis off the bench at the break to replace Ramsey as Villa looked to exert more pressure on the visitors.

It was Martinez, however, who made the first save of the second half, spreading himself to block Ilkay Gundogan’s effort.

And with the half just 12 minutes old a rush of blood to the head from Cash saw Villa lose their man advantage. Just three minutes after receiving his first booking for hauling back for Foden, the right-back duly received his second for chopping down the same opponent after losing the ball. He could have no complaints.

Smith introduced both Ross Barkley and Anwar El Ghazi off the bench but still Villa were struggling to put the visitors under sustained pressure, with their opponents increasingly happy to sit back and strike on the counter.

Villa produced no chances of note in the closing stages as an evening which at various stages promised plenty ultimately fizzled out.

Teams

Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett, Luiz, Nakamba (Barkley 63), Ramsey (Davis HT), McGinn, Traore (El Ghazi 75), Watkins Subs not used: Hause, Taylor, Engels, Chukwuemeka, Elmohamady, Heaton (gk).

Man City (4-3-3): Ederson, Walker, Dias, Stones, Zinchenko, Silva, Rodrigo, Gundogan ©, Mahrez (Fernandinho 90), Jesus (Laporte HT), Foden Subs not used: Sterling, Ake, Torres, Mendy, Cancelo, Garcia, Steffen (gk).