Aston Villa beats Manchester City 2-1 to end winning streak
Nicolas Jackson scored twice in the victory, marking the first Premier League loss for Enzo Maresca's side in seven matches.
By Leila Reynolds ·
Manchester City lost its first Premier League match of the season to Aston Villa on Saturday, snapping a seven-game winning streak that had set a record for a new manager. The defeat at Villa Park ended a perfect start for Enzo Maresca, who previously became the first manager to win his opening seven matches with a new club.
Nicolas Jackson scored both goals for the home side. Villa took the lead in the sixth minute when a heavy touch from Marc Guehi allowed Jackson to cut inside Elliott Anderson. Jackson blasted a high shot past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to put his team ahead early.
City controlled possession for much of the first half but faced resistance from Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki. Suzuki denied attempts from Iliman Ndiaye, Rayan Cherki, and Abdukodir Khusanov. Ndiaye also struck the post before the halftime break, keeping the score at 1-1.
Erling Haaland equalized in the 52nd minute with a header from Ndiaye's cross. The goal was Haaland's 13th in 10 appearances this season. Minutes later, Josko Gvardiol had a chance to take the lead, but his fierce drive was saved by Suzuki onto the crossbar.
Villa restored their lead in the 60th minute. Ibrahim Mbaye played a through ball behind the City defense and crossed the ball to Jackson. Jackson fired a low shot that slipped past Donnarumma, sealing the 2-1 victory. City pushed for an equalizer in the final minutes but failed to find a way past the Villa defense.
The result moves Villa to sixth place in the table with six wins in seven games across all competitions. The win also keeps Arsenal in contention for the top spot, as a victory over Everton later on Saturday would level their points total with City. Villa has now lost to City in each of the last four seasons, but the performance showed the impact of summer signings including Jackson, Suzuki, Mbaye, and Johan Manzambi.
The loss highlights defensive lapses for City, which has been appealing a guilty verdict on more than 100 financial charges from 2009 to 2018. The 10-time champions face potential sanctions, including relegation, but the match was decided by two errors in the back line rather than visible distraction on the pitch.
