Manchester City’s perfect opening finally met its awkward old acquaintance at Villa Park, where Aston Villa produced a sharp, stubborn 2-1 victory to halt Enzo Maresca’s side after seven straight league wins. Unai Emery’s team struck early, rode out a long spell of pressure and found the decisive blow through Nico Jackson’s second goal shortly after the hour.
In the dressing room
Villa had begun the afternoon with the sort of intensity that makes a visiting side’s passing game feel like a bad idea. Their opener arrived in the sixth minute, when Marc Guéhi made a mistake trying to play out from the back. John McGinn pounced and the ball reached Jackson, who created the room before beating Gianluigi Donnarumma.
City responded by pinning Villa back. The home side struggled to get out for long stretches, but goalkeeper Zion Suzuki was assured whenever called upon. He also had the frame of his goal on his side when Iliman Ndiaye cut in from the right and sent a left-foot effort against the woodwork around the half-hour mark.
Erling Haaland had been unusually quiet while Villa held their line, yet he needed only one telling moment. Seven minutes after the restart, Ndiaye supplied a cross from the right and Haaland rose to head beyond Suzuki for the equaliser. The Villa keeper then had to deal with two close-range efforts from Josko Gvardiol as City pressed for control.
| Match | Result | Key scorers |
|---|---|---|
| Aston Villa v Manchester City | 2-1 | Nico Jackson 2; Erling Haaland |
Jackson turns the game again
Emery’s change was immediate and decisive. Ibrahim Mbaye came on in the 60th minute and, within a minute, drove down the right before laying on a chance for fellow Senegal international Jackson. The forward took it to complete his brace and restore Villa’s lead.
From there, Villa managed the match in familiar Emery fashion: fresh legs introduced, spaces closed and their own penalty area defended with purpose. City could not create a second route through.
The result ends City’s winning run at seven and represents their first points dropped this season. It also extends a difficult record in Birmingham: City have not won at Villa Park since 2021, a period which has largely coincided with Emery’s spell in charge.
The week ahead
Villa move into the next set of fixtures with more than a month unbeaten in all competitions and with their rhythm returning at the right time. City, meanwhile, must take the first blemish from an otherwise flawless start into the coming week, knowing Villa Park remains a ground that refuses to become routine.
