Manchester City‘s poor form continued as Aston Villa got a well-deserved 2-1 victory at Villa Park in the English Premier League title fight on Saturday. Villa moves above the champions in the league table, further adding to City’s woes.
Lineups
Playing in a 4-3-3 formation, Aston Villa fielded Emiliano Martinez in goal, with Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, and Lucas Digne forming the backline. The midfield trio consisted of Youri Tielemans, Boubacar Kamara, and Amadou Onana. John McGinn, Jhon Duran, and Morgan Rogers formed the attacking trio.
In a 4-2-3-1 formation, Manchester City had Stefan Ortega in goal, with Rico Lewis, John Stones, Manuel Akanji, and Josko Gvardiol in defence. Ilkay Gundogan and Mateo Kovacic anchored the midfield. At the same time, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, and Jack Grealish supported lone striker Erling Haaland.
How the Match Unfolded
Aston Villa started the match well with three golden opportunities within the first three minutes. Jhon Duran forced a save from Stefan Ortega, who was deputizing for the absent Ederson. Ortega then made a reflex save to deny a close-range header from the resulting corner. Amadou Onana, also headed over the bar from a promising position.
Duran eventually capitalized on his chance, side-footing past Ortega after being set up by Morgan Rogers, following a sublime through ball from the outstanding Youri Tielemans.
While City had the most ball possession in the first half, it struggled to penetrate Villa’s organized defence. Their closest attempt came from a misdirected header by Josko Gvardiol off a Jack Grealish cross.
After halftime, Villa adopted a more aggressive approach and should have doubled their lead before the hour mark. Matty Cash fired into the side netting instead of crossing for Boubacar Kamara, and Rogers struck the post with a drilled shot.
Rogers made amends with his next opportunity, finishing a move he started with a strong midfield run. Receiving a pass from John McGinn, he fired a left-footed shot into the bottom-right corner, leaving Ortega rooted to the spot. City’s heads dropped, and Villa was likelier to score again, with substitute Ollie Watkins shooting straight at Ortega from a good position. Erling Haaland, largely anonymous throughout the game, desperately attempted to connect with a looping cross but failed to make an impact.
Phil Foden scored a late consolation goal for City, slotting past Emiliano Martinez after Lucas Digne slipped in the box. However, it was too late for a comeback, and the match ended 2-1 in Villa’s favour.
Post-Match Analysis
Aston Villa’s victory resulted from their organized defence and clinical finishing. Youri Tielemans helped in managing the midfield and pushing the ball forward. Villa’s aggressive approach in the second half paid off, with Rogers and Duran making the most of their chances.
This is City’s ninth loss in 12 games across all competitions, extending their winless away run since October 20.
What the Coaches Said
Click to listen to Aston Villa manager Unai Emery’s excited assessment of the game.
Hear from The Boss following this afternoon's victory 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/WrOzkzASXA
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) December 21, 2024
Another ill luck for Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, acknowledging problem with his team. “We are in a difficult period and need to find solutions quickly. We had possession but lacked the final product. It’s a tough loss, and we must improve.“
Player of the Match
Morgan Rogers was named Player of the Match for his goal assist in the first goal and his winning goal in the 65th minute.
What Next
Aston Villa will look to build on this victory as they prepare for their next fixture against Tottenham Hotspur. Manchester City will need to regroup and find the missing spark to put Leicester City in their place in their upcoming encounter.
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