Deflected strike the difference as City suffer defeat at Villa

Leon Bailey’s second half goal, which clipped off Ruben Dias, won the contest at a buoyant Villa Park as the hosts picked up their 14th straight victory on home soil.

The defeat was also our first in December in three years, our last loss in this month also coming in the West Midlands, a 3-2 reversal to Wolves in 2019.

Pep Guardiola’s men won’t have long to wait to try and get back on the winning trail as we travel to newly-promoted Luton Town on Sunday.

WHAT HAPPENED

Villa started like a team that had won 13 games in succession on home soil, showing a swagger in front of the claret and blue faithful.

The big question for City was who was going to take the place of Rodrigo in the midfield lynchpin role.

The answer was John Stones and Manuel Akanji who took it in turns to operate in the deeplying central position, supporting Rico Lewis and Julian Alvarez, with Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden and Erling Haaland our foraging forwards.

The game itself started at an electric pace, with attacking intent end-to-end.

Bailey enjoyed the first chance of the game on six minutes, the Jamaican played through via a hopeful ball over the top by skipper John McGinn. The winger was denied by a classy save by Ederson in the City goal.

Moments later, our Brazilian stopper produced an even more impressive save, diving to his right to clear an on-target Pau Torres sweeping drive from inside the area.

City got in on the act on 11 minutes with a double chance for Erling Haaland.

The star striker was played in by a clinical Alvarez pass but his goalbound strike was well stopped by Emiliano Martinez and the Ballon d’Or Lev Yashin Trophy winner denied the PFA and FWA Player of the Year’s subsequent header after a pinpoint cross from the right by Foden.

Ederson was called into action again on 23 minutes when he tipped over a Bailey drive from 25 yards, the August 2021 signing for the Villans – one of three to replace City-bound Jack Grealish – given too much time and space in the danger zone.

Our No.31 was called into action again on the half hour mark, putting enough pressure on defender Ezri Konsa to put him off with the defender heading former City man Douglas Luiz’s free-kick over the bar.

With the next attack, Bailey blasted high and handsome from McGinn’s cross while Josko Gvardiol produced an immaculate tackle to deny Youri Tielemans shortly after with the hosts eyeing an opener in front of the North Stand.

City had to withstand some serious Villa pressure as the half ticked down to the interval, with the home side pressing high and looking to pounce on any unforced errors from the Treble winners.

Villa Park erupted on the stroke of half-time as Luiz headed home Digne’s cross from the left but the goal was swiftly ruled out due to the ball being out of play in the build-up.

At the other end, Foden was denied at the far post with Konsa doing enough to negate the danger from a Bernardo cross from the right.

City came out for the second half with more impetus and intent, hemming Villa into their own half and dominating possession, with the manager’s interval instructions clearly coming to the fore.

Foden broke clear on 55 minutes after a clever pass through by Haaland but Martinez dove to stop the fierce drive, with the flag raised for offside shortly after the save was made.

The hosts then grew in stature again, as they attacked the Holte End, but Guardiola’s men defended with courage and conviction.

McGinn shot wide just past the hour mark as he broke into the box from a dinked ball into him by Bailey.

The boss looked to freshen things up on 68 minutes with the claret and blues smelling blood, Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes replacing Lewis and Alvarez while Oscar Bobb came on in the 73rd minute in place of Foden.

Bailey, a constant menace throughout the contest, opened the scoring on 74 minutes when his deflected right-foot strike flew past Ederson, giving the goalkeeper little chance to save.

Our keeper produced a brilliant save on 78 minutes to deny Luiz as the pair both went for the ball as it ballooned up in the home side’s box.

Martinez got down well to smother a Nunes free-kick from the left on 82 minutes as the visitors pushed for a leveller.

However, Luiz almost made it two but his right-footed curler smashed against the post on 87 minutes.

City huffed and puffed in the closing moments as they eyed the vital equaliser but the hosts held on for the three points.

TEAMS

VILLA XI: Martinez, Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Digne (Moreno 90’), Luiz, Kamara, Tielemans (Ramsey 85’), McGinn, Bailey (Diaby 85’), Watkins (Duran 90’)

Subs: Marschall, Cash, Lenglet, Zaniolo, Dendoncker

CITY XI: Ederson, Walker (C), Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol, Stones, Lewis (Nunes 68’), Foden (Bobb 73’), Bernardo, Alvarez (Kovacic 68’), Haaland

Subs: Ortega Moreno, Carson, Phillips, Ake, Gomez

PEP GUARDIOLA REACTION

“The better team won.

“Aston Villa was better than us. They are well organised, fast and [have] physical players and team and they are able to control many aspects.

“That is the reason why they are up there, playing good football and we could not do it.

“It’s my duty, my job to find the way to come back.

“I give credit to Aston Villa, first of all. They do it. The first half we struggled to follow what we spoke [about].

“[We said] something at half-time [and] it was much better, the team had another dynamic but we didn’t find the players to make the assist, the cross, the pass.

“We arrive there but we didn’t have the feeling that ‘oh we are going to do something’. And we miss it.”

STONES REACTION

“We have to use the hurt and the pain that is within us, our stomachs, our brains, wherever it might be, as motivation and fuel to put things right. I think everyone has that desire.

“We’ve been in these positions in previous seasons. I don’t think we or everyone should be hyping about what is going to happen.

“I think we have to stay calm as a team, which I think we will do tomorrow once we’ve analysed it and settled down emotionally.

“We win and lose together. I think we all could have done better tonight. I believe in us as individuals and as a team.

“We’ve got a great opportunity with a game coming up so soon on the weekend to put things right and to get back to winning ways.”

WHAT IT MEANS

City and Villa switched places after this evening’s contest in the West Midlands.

Emery’s men leapfrogged Guardiola‘s side into third as we moved down into fourth spot.

We are on 30 points, two behind the Villans, after 15 games.

WHAT’S NEXT

City are back in Premier League action this weekend as we face newly-promoted Luton Town.

We face the Hatters at Kenilworth Road, with a 14:00 (UK) kick-off.

Our last game at that venue was in the 1998/99 Second Division season when we drew 1-1, Andy Morrison scoring our goal in November 1998.

We were, obviously, promoted that campaign courtesy of a memorable and dramatic Play-Off final victory over Gillingham at Wembley.