By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Photo Credit: Premier League.
Aston Villa produced a sharp, disciplined display to beat log leaders Manchester City 2–1 at Villa Park amid the turmoil surrounding the club’s off-field financial case.
City lead at the Premier League summit remains at three points, with second-placed Arsenal hosting Everton while Villa have climbed into the top half of the table.
This victory was Villa’s fifth in their past seven meetings against City, a fourth successive win against them at Villa Park and came on the fourth anniversary of Unai Emery’s appointment as Villa boss.
Villa captain John McGinn pounced on a poor touch by City defender Marc Guehi to play in Nicholas Jackson, who turned inside Elliot Anderson and finished high into the net past Gianluigi Donnarumma for the hosts’ opener.
Iliman Ndiaye hit the post as the visitors pressed for an equaliser, which eventually arrived early in the second period when Erling Haaland climbed highest to nod in Ndiaye’s cross from the right.
However, parity lasted only eight minutes as Jackson met substitute Ibrahim Mbaye’s low cross with a first-time shot that went in underneath Donnarumma’s left hand.
Enzo Maresca said, “We conceded two goals from two chances but we created many chances ourselves. We have to be clinical [in front of goal] and for sure we have to avoid mistakes [at the back].”
“You can learn always and there are things we saw today we can learn from.”
“I think [Aston Villa] play really good football, they want to keep the ball, play good football. They have a really good manager. They’ve had so many people go out but they have good footballers and I really like what Villa have been doing since Unai [Emery] has come in.”