In a game of few clear-cut chances, Fernando came closest to breaking the deadlock with a header that struck the bar in injury time, but Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne both missed excellent chances as a dogged Villa, led by former City favourite Micah Richards, held firm.
The teams went into this game at the opposite ends of the Premier League, separated by 21 points and while Villa had lost their last eight league matches, City came into the clash with seven wins out of eight in all competitions.
Add to that seven out of eight wins for the Blues in this fixture and it wasn’t hard to understand why tCity started as strong favourites to win this game.
From the team that put Sevilla to the sword in midweek, only Jesus Navas was absent with De Bruyne stepping up from the bench.
The hosts, playing their first match under new boss Remi Garde, began looking to keep possession as much as possible and it was 90 seconds before City even touched the ball, though much of the play was confined to their own half
...Villa v City...
City gradually worked their way into the game with Aleks Kolarov and Sterling combining well down the left and the Serbian saw a shot on nine minutes palmed nervously onto the foot of the post by Brad Guzan.
The Blues were forced into an early change when Wilfried Bony pulled up with what looked like a hamstring injury on 24 minutes and Navas replaced the Ivorian, meaning Sterling was given a more central role and De Bruyne switched flanks.
The first-half hour passed without either keeper being seriously tested in an oddly subdued opening, with City perhaps finding the midweek exertions in Spain taking their toll a little - and given Sevilla’s 3-1 win over Real Madrid later on Sunday evening, the effort expended during that victory shouldn’t be underestimated.
The match livened up a little as half-time approached, first with Villa almost catching City on the counter-attack as Gil raced towards goal – only for Kolarov to mop up as the Spaniard skipped past Fernandinho.
Then a sublime De Bruyne lay off to Yaya Toure resulted in a through ball that allowed Sterling to race clear, but as the England winger cut inside a chasing defender’s challenge, he tumbled over with replays showing there had been contact with from Ciaran Clark – though the referee saw no infringement.
Then De Bruyne broke down the right and his pinpoint cross was inches away from being converted by the incoming Sterling – the last real action of a listless opening period from City.
The Blues were brighter after the break and Kolarov whipped in a powerful free-kick six minutes after the re-start that was spilled by Guzan, but there was nobody on their toes to poke home the loose ball
...Villa v City...
Then Navas picked out Sterling two minutes later with a peach of a cross, but his header was straight at Guzan with the American keeper deflecting the ball over the bar via his face – nonetheless, it was a guilt-edge opportunity and easily the best of the game up to that point.
With 66 minutes played, a terrific move down the right again should have resulted with a goal for the Blues as Bacary Sagna found the scampering Navas but as his fine cross found De Bruyne in the six-yard box, the Belgian’s attempted back-heel struck his other leg and went wide.
With only a quarter of the game remaining and still no goals, it seemed City were just having something of an off-day, particularly in the final third of the pitch.
And as the clock ticked down, so there was always the chance that Villa might just sneak something themselves in what was proving a largely disappointing afternoon in the Midlands.
The home fans cranked up the volume in the latter stages as Fabian Delph appeared from the bench to a chorus of boos from the fans who once idolised him.
In the closing stages, City almost snatched three points in injury time as sub Kelechi Iheanacho picked out Fernando in the six-yard box and the Brazilian saw his header thunder off the crossbar with Delph placing a low shot inches wide of the post with Guzan frozen to the spot - imagine the headlines had that gone in!
The Blues piled on the pressure in a frantic final couple of minutes, but it was too little, too late and the ball just wouldn’t go in. Ultimately, there was just too many below-par performances by the men in ghost green, though a point at least maintains a place at the top of the pile if nothing else.
